On the agenda: Granite Falls Packet — Automated License Plate (Aug 19)

CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA
August 19, 2026
7:00 PM
Civic Center
The Granite City Council will hold its meeting in person. A Zoom link may be requested by contacting the City Clerk by email:
[email protected], no later than 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting. Virtual access is provided for listening purposes only. Public
comment will not be accepted via Zoom. City residents who wish to provide comment may email the City Clerk with their name, address, and the
message they would like to have read into the record.

1.

CALL TO ORDER

2.

FLAG SALUTE

3.

ROLL CALL

4.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.

4.a.

AB 124-2026 Approval of August 6, 2026, Claims Checks #416480 through 416513
and One EFT totaling $138,783.15

4.b.

AB 125-2026 Approval of July 16, 2026, through July 31, 2026, Payroll Claims
Checks #416425 through 416427 and Twenty-seven EFT's totaling $167,620.41

STAFF REPORTS
5.a.

Planning

5.b.

Public Works

5.c.

City Manager Staff Report

5.d.

City Clerk

6.

PUBLIC COMMENTS/RECOGNITION OF VISITORS-NON-ACTION ITEMS
(The public is encouraged to submit written comments prior to the meeting by emailing them
directly to the city clerk at: [email protected]; and should be submitted no
later than 5PM. Public comment speakers can sign up prior to the meeting, or wait for the public
comment section of the meeting to be open by the presiding officer. Individual comments shall
be limited to three minutes. Group comments shall be limited to five minutes).

7.

NEW BUSINESS
7.a.

AB 126-2026 Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) / Flock Safety Camera
Program: Overview, SB 6002 (RCW) Compliance, Transparency, and Public
Safety Benefits

Page 1 of 194

8.

7.b.

AB 127-2026 Public Hearing 7:10 p.m., or soon thereafter,
Regarding proposed amendments to Chapter 2.08 GFMC, and consideration of
adoption of Ordinance No. 1082-2026

7.c.

AB 128-2026 Consideration to Approve an Interlocal Agreement with Snohomish
County for Surface Water Management Billing Services for the term January 1,
2027, through December 31, 2036

7.d.

AB 129-2026 Consideration to Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Interlocal
Agreement with Snohomish County concerning Building/Construction/Fire Plan
Review and Code Inspection Services, extending the term through December 31,
2028 and adopting a new fee schedule for 2027 and 2028

CURRENT BUSINESS
8.a.

9.

AB 052-2026 Consideration to Approve Resolution No. 2026-11 Adoption of the
City of Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex

MAYOR'S COMMENT (5 MINUTES)

10. COUNCIL COMMENTS (15 MINUTES)
11. CITY MANAGER (5 MINUTES)
12. ADJOURNMENT
The City of Granite Falls strives to provide access and services to all members of the public.

Page 2 of 194

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 124-2026 Approval of August Originating Dept.: City Manager
6, 2026, Claims Checks #416480 through
416513 and One EFT totaling $138,783.15 Approval(s): City Manager
Finance
Action Recommended: Motion to Approve
the Consent Agenda
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/13/2026
Exhibit(s): None
Budgeted Amount: $138,783.15
BARS Code:
001 Current Expense $19,437.74
103 Community Events, Arts, Recreation $14,031.73
402 Cif / Water $204.45
405 Storm Drainage $775.77

101 Streets $5,336.96
401 Water $61,510.20
403 Sewer $37,081.30
630 Trust Agency $405.00

Summary Statement:
The August 19, 2026, Claims Checks are for the time period of August 6, 2026, through
August 19, 2026.
Background:
Recommended Motion:
1) Motion to pay the claims as presented. This can be accomplished as part of the motion to approve the Consent
Agenda.
2) Motion to amend the claims and approve the minutes as amended.

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 125-2026 Approval of July 16, Originating Dept.: City Clerk
2026, through July 31, 2026, Payroll Claims
Checks #416425 through 416427 and
Approval(s): City Manager
Twenty-seven EFT's totaling $167,620.41 Finance
Action Recommended: Motion to Approve
the Consent Agenda
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 7/31/2026
Exhibit(s): None
Budgeted Amount: $167,620.41
BARS Code:
001 Current Expense $74,638.02

101 Streets $14,985.61

403 Sewer $45,911.48

405 Storm Drainage $6,806.95

401 Water $25,278.35

Summary Statement:
Payroll Claims are for the time period of July 16, 2026 through July 31, 2026.
Background:
Recommended Motion:
1) Motion to approve the Payroll Claims as presented. This can be accomplished as part of the motion to approve the
Consent Agenda.
2) Motion to amend the Payroll Claims and approve the minutes as amended.

Page 4 of 194

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: Planning

Originating Dept.: Planning Department

Action Recommended:

Approval(s):

Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted:
Exhibit(s):
1.
08.19.2026 Planning Staff Report
Budgeted Amount:
BARS Code:
Summary Statement:
Background:
Recommended Motion:

Page 5 of 194

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Amy Hess, Community Development Director
Department: Planning and Community Development
Date: August 19, 2026
Subject: Planning Department Update

1. UPDATES
Sta! is preparing to issue site plan approval for the Custom Stone project.

2. DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
Sta! continues to process permits for mechanical, plumbing, and building permits.
First review of Tractor Supply application has been completed. This application gained a
lot of attention on social media.
An application for a Unit Lot Subdivision for 86 units has been submitted and is being
reviewed for completeness. This project is located between the LDS Church and
Braidwood.
Applications for two new single-family residences and one detached accessory dwelling
unit on the SW corner of Galena and Prospect have been submitted.
Pilchuck Crossing, on the southeast corner of Quarry/Hwy 92 and 100th Street will likely
begin site work soon, awaiting final OK from WSDOT.

3. PERMITS ISSUED
No permits issued since August 5th.

4. LONG-RANGE PLANNING

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The Park Impact fee code has been drafted and sent to Dept. of Commerce for the 60-day
comment period. Expect to see the draft at the September 9 Work Session, with adoption
anticipated in mid-late September.
Initial conversations are taking place with BHC Consultants related to the Climate
Resilience Element that is required to be incorporated into our Comprehensive Plan by 2029.

5. POLICY AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
Continuing research for a paper free permit and application process that is consistent with
WA State Archive standards.

6. UPCOMING PRIORITIES
Review/approval of the Park Impact Fee code. PRD standards. Sta! will continue to work on
items identified on the 2026 work plan previously provided. If there are any sections of code
that you feel should be prioritized, please share those with me.

7. SUMMARY
We are seeing an increase in development activity as was expected upon lifting of the
sewer moratorium. The department remains busy with application processing and review
as well as permit/process updates and ensuring responsible growth in the City.

Page 7 of 194

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: Public Works

Originating Dept.: Public Works

Action Recommended:

Approval(s):

Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted:
Exhibit(s):
1.
Public Works Staff Report 8-19-2026
Budgeted Amount:
BARS Code:
Summary Statement:
Background:
Recommended Motion:

Page 8 of 194

Public Works Staff Report
August 19, 2026
STREETS
The City’s contract with Waste Management (WM) expires at the end of the year. Staff is exploring a shortterm extension, ideally for one year; however, the availability of a one-year agreement remains uncertain. A
four-year extension would include a 6.60% rate increase in 2027. Subject to Council approval, staff will
coordinate the timing of a competitive solicitation for solid waste services with the term of the approved
extension.
Snohomish County Public Works completed street-striping work throughout the City on August 14, 2026. The
work was delayed this year due to smoke conditions in the area. The refreshed pavement markings will
improve visibility, traffic guidance, and overall roadway safety.
An RRFB unit in the 500 block of West Stanley Street was damaged during the early morning hours of August
10. Chief Dalton is working to identify the driver responsible for the damage.
One Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) funding application was submitted on July 31, 2026, covering
four roadway segments. The City requested a total of $1,065,700 in funding, with a required 10% local match.
Funding awards are anticipated to be announced in October 2026.

STORM
Public Works is conducting routine inspections of stormwater ponds and water-quality facilities during the dry
season. These inspections help identify maintenance needs, confirm that the facilities are functioning properly,
and support compliance with the City’s stormwater permit requirements.
SEWER
Both pumps at the Smoots Lift Station were pulled within the past two weeks due to debris related issues. One
incident required an after-hours response from Public Works, while the other occurred during regular operating
hours. In both cases, staff quickly cleared the debris and returned the pumps to service.
Staff received the annual renewal quote for the SmartCover monitoring system, totaling approximately $1,400.
The system monitors sewer flow levels and sends alarms when conditions require attention. SmartCover was
acquired by Badger Meter last year, which is the same vendor the city uses for its water meters.
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WATER
An increase in the City’s wholesale water rate is anticipated in January or February 2027. The current rate is
$0.0223 per cubic foot, or $2.23 per hundred cubic feet (CCF). The rate changes shown below reflect
increases imposed by the City of Everett on the PUD, which the PUD is now paying. Staff anticipates a
wholesale rate increase of approximately 6% to 10% from the PUD and is preparing a draft fee resolution that
will incorporate the additional costs once the final rate is known.

PROJECTS/ MISC.
Indiana/Kentucky LID
-

Approximately 35 working days remain until the anticipated substantial-completion date.
Sidewalks poured along the 100-200 blocks of S. Indiana avenue.

Pedestrian Improvements (RRFBs)
-

No significant update.

Union/Kentucky Overlay

Page 10 of 194

-

Larry Brown Construction completed the water-main tie-in in the 300 block of South Kentucky Avenue,
marking completion of the waterline portion of the project. Staff will meet with Earthwork Solutions and
Larry Browns paving contractor on August 18, 2026, to coordinate paving limits where the two projects
meet.

-

The City’s text-alert system was used to notify subscribed residents of the planned shutdown and
anticipated restoration timeline. Following restoration, one customer reported having no water, as
residents were advised to do in the alert. Public Works and the contractor investigated the issue and
restored service to the customer.

-

Approximately 23 working days remain until substantial completion.

Legion Park
-

A project kickoff meeting with RWD Landscape Architects is scheduled for August 26, 2026, to begin
the Legion Park design process.

Drinking Water Well Rehab.
-

Staff met with Gray & Osborne (G&O) for an initial project discussion. G&O will assist with identifying
potential upfront challenges, particularly those related to projected water demand, allowable production
capacity, and treatment requirements.

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: City Manager Staff Report

Originating Dept.: City Council

Action Recommended:

Approval(s):

Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted:
Exhibit(s):
1.
City Manager Rpt
Budgeted Amount:
BARS Code:
Summary Statement:
Background:
Recommended Motion:

Page 12 of 194

City of Granite Falls City Manager Staff Report
Reporting period: August 6 through August 13, 2026
Highlights
• The most significant new external development is Snohomish County Council's August 12
adoption of the 0.1% criminal justice "Justice Fund" sales tax. The Lynnwood Times reported the
vote was 3-2, the tax is expected to generate nearly $24 million per year, and the new tax chapter
takes effect January 1, 2027. The city revenue-sharing amendment failed; that would have
directed a portion of the revenue to a jail services and law enforcement grant program available
to cities.
Purple Heart City dedication
• The City held a dedication on August 7 establishing Granite Falls as a Purple Heart City. Thank you
to Mohanna and Brittany, City staff, and the Public Works team for supporting the event and the
public recognition of Purple Heart recipients.
Code enforcement
• Community Development prepared and sent a code-violation letter regarding an alleged autorepair business operating from a residential location. This was a repeat issue, neighborhood
concerns had been raised, and the letter provided until August 28 to cease business operations.
Jail services and law-enforcement contract language
• Continued coordinating jail-services ILA language with the Issaquah Jail as an alternative to
Yakima and Snohomish County.
Cyber incident response plan
• The City’s IT provider reviewed current controls and began preparing a formal cyber incident
response plan based on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) incident-response
processes. The city is currently identifying roles for incident command, technical lead, emergency
system isolation, department operational decisions, external communications, legal and
regulatory notifications, law enforcement, cyber insurance, HR, records, evidence retention,
recovery, and post-incident review.
• This is an important risk-management step, especially for continuity of City email, financial
systems, utility billing, public records, and public-facing services.
County Justice Fund sales tax adopted
• As mentioned in the Highlights, Snohomish County Council adopted the 0.1% criminal justice sales
tax on August 12. The Ordinance 26-030 adds a new Chapter 4.140 to Snohomish County Code
(Snohomish County Council file 2026-1654). The Lynnwood Times reported the vote was 3-2,
Councilmembers Nate Nehring and Jared Mead dissented, the tax is councilmanic under RCW
82.14.345, and the new chapter takes effect January 1, 2027.
• The adopted package includes a public reporting amendment requiring the Executive's office to
build and maintain a public website with annual reports, revenues, appropriations, expenditures,
encumbrances, fund balance, and year-over-year comparisons.
• The amendment that would have created an 85-15 split and directed a portion of the tax into a
Jail Services and Law Enforcement Grant Program available to cities failed, as did the proposed
advisory-vote amendment.

Page 13 of 194

•
•

Granite Falls taxpayers will be affected by the countywide tax, but the adopted version does not
provide the city revenue-sharing mechanism Council had supported in a written letter to the
County Council.
The County's Justice Fund FAQ states the tax is for law and justice services including law
enforcement, jail, prosecutors, public defense, courts, and clerk functions, and estimates an
average cost of about $27 per resident or $64 per household per year.

Stage 2 countywide outdoor burn ban
• Snohomish County moved to a Stage 2 complete outdoor burn ban effective on August 7, 2026,
prohibiting all open burning, including residential yard debris and recreational fire-pit fires, and
suspending all outdoor burn permits until further notice.
• The Governor extended the statewide Stage 1 burn ban through September 30, 2026.
MRSC data-center guidance
• MRSC published new guidance on August 12 regarding how local governments can prepare for
data centers. The article recommends integrating land use, economic development, and utility
planning; coordinating with electricity and water providers; planning for air, water, noise, wasteheat, transportation, and closure impacts; and considering temporary moratoria where needed.
ADU condominium conversion case
• MRSC published an August 11 article on Ladder Properties, LLC v. City of Snoqualmie, a Court of
Appeals decision addressing whether conversion of an accessory dwelling unit to a condominium
that can be sold separately is permissible. This is relevant to our housing-code administration,
ADU review, and any future code updates.
Transportation and Roads
• The County's August 13 Roads Update lists continuing Granite Falls-area single-lane closures on
Robe Menzel Road and Scherrer Road through August 19 for Ziply Fiber work, and continuing 84th
Street NE single-lane closures between SR 9 and SR 92 through August 31 for the County's 84th St
NE Spot Improvements project.
Elections and Public Records
• Snohomish County's August 4 primary unofficial results show 182,500 ballots cast out of 545,953
registered voters, for 33.43% turnout, and the Sno-Isle Libraries Proposition 1 levy lid lift was
passing with 56.92%.
Parks, Community Events, and Regional Items
• The Centennial Trail South Extension community survey is open with a due date of August 29,
2026, and the County project page continues to describe the Snohomish-to-Woodinville extension
planning effort (Centennial Trail South project).
• The Evergreen State Fair in Monroe is scheduled for August 27 through September 1 and
September 3 through September 7 (Evergreen State Fairgrounds).
• Granite Falls Farmers Market continues on Sundays through September 13 in the FSX parking lot
at 301 W. Stanley St.

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: City Clerk

Originating Dept.: City Clerk

Action Recommended:

Approval(s): City Clerk

Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/14/2026
Exhibit(s):
1.
08-19-2026 City Clerk Report
Budgeted Amount:
BARS Code:
Summary Statement:
Attached, please find my current staff report
Background:
Recommended Motion:

Page 15 of 194

💜 City Clerk Staff Report 🎖️
★ August 19, 2026 •
Honoring Service, Sacrifice, and Purple Heart Recipients ★

◄═ 💜 🇺🇸 🎖️ 🫡 💜 ★ ✦ ★ ═►
★ 💜 PURPLE HEART HONOR ROLL —
Business Licenses Inside City Limits 🎖️ ★
★ KM Bookkeeping Solutions LLC
205 N. Bogart Ave.
Granite Falls, WA 98252-8406
License activity: Bookkeeping
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Manholes Northwest LLC
306 S. Kentucky Ave.
Granite Falls, WA 98252-0287
License activity: New construction manholes concrete
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ T&V Sons Construction LLC
209 Wabash Ave., Apt Unit 5
Granite Falls, WA 98252-8826
License activity: Framing-construction

★ 🇺🇸 MILITARY HONORS REGISTER —

Business Licenses Outside City Limits 🎖️ ★
💜 Purple Heart City • Honoring Service and Sacrifice 🎖️
August 19, 2026
Page 1

Page 16 of 194

★ Backyard Butchers LLC
9504 Jordan Rd.
Granite Falls, WA 98252
License activity: Meat retailers, meat sales (mobile)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Larry Brown Construction, Inc.
2453 E 66th Ter.
Everson, WA 98247-8734
License activity: General contracting
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ JR Shelton Contracting LLC
2127 Rockefeller Ave.
Everett, WA 98201-2839
License activity: Contractor, construction
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Johnson’s Junk Removal LLC
13502 100th St. NE
Lake Stevens, WA 98258-2133
License activity: Demolition – Construction, contractor, construction cleanup
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Robison Construction LLC
306 Orchard Ave.
Gold Bar, WA 98251-9298
License activity: Contractor, construction, construction of all types to homeowners & businesses
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Melissa Garber Photography (Garber, Melissa Anne)
608 26th St. SE
Auburn, WA 98002-7709
License activity: All other miscellaneous retailers
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Squatch Roofing LLC
14102 NE 189th St., Ste. 100
Woodinville, WA 98072-3603
💜 Purple Heart City • Honoring Service and Sacrifice 🎖️
August 19, 2026
Page 2

Page 17 of 194

License activity: Roofing, roofing inspection
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Head and Heart Equine Massage (Goad, Melissa S)
8413 9th PL NE
Lake Stevens, WA 98258-3436
License activity: Animal massage and bodywork
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 💜 🎖️ 💜 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ★ Telecon Design (USA) Inc.
5260 128th St. E.
Tacoma, WA 98446-4920
License activity: Telecommunications-wired

★ 🫡 HONOR GUARD REVIEW —

Disapproved Business Licenses 🎖️ ★
★ J&K Auto LLC
505 S. Kentucky Ave.
Granite Falls, WA 98252-8760
License activity: Repair service automobile
Disapproval letter sent out on July 30, 2026, as an automobile shop is not a permitted use within the
DT-2,500 zone.

💜 Purple Heart City • Honoring Service and Sacrifice 🎖️
August 19, 2026
Page 3

Page 18 of 194

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 126-2026 Automated License Originating Dept.: City Council
Plate Recognition (ALPR) / Flock Safety
Camera Program: Overview, SB 6002
Approval(s):
(RCW) Compliance, Transparency, and
Public Safety Benefits
Action Recommended: NA - Discussion
Only
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/17/2026
Exhibit(s):
1.
R3 JB ALPR Flock Safety Camera
Program COGF
Budgeted Amount: NA
BARS Code:
Summary Statement:
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Granite Falls Police Chief, and the City
Manager will present an informational briefing on the ALPR/Flock Safety camera
program. The presentation will provide the Council and the public with information
regarding how the technology works, what a camera reviewer can and cannot see, and
the legal safeguards that govern its use.
Background:
Briefing will include:
• State law compliance: Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6002 (signed March 30,
2026) establishes one of the strictest statewide ALPR frameworks in the nation. It
requires registration with the Attorney General’s Office within 180 days of the
effective date (by September 26, 2026); all ALPRs used by the agency will be
registered by September 1, 2026.

Page 19 of 194

• Strict data limits: ALPR data must be deleted after 21 days, with limited
exceptions. The system does not support facial recognition and captures license
plates, vehicles, bicycles, and trailers; not drivers or occupants.
• Prohibited uses: No immigration enforcement, no monitoring of constitutionally
protected activities, and no collection at sensitive locations such as schools,
places of worship, and healthcare facilities.
• Transparency demonstration: The Granite Falls Police Chief will show actual
camera captures demonstrating that a reviewer cannot identify a driver, along
with recent organization and network audit results showing every search is
logged with a reason and case number.
• Accountability: All search activity is permanently logged and audited; misuse
subjects users to discipline, loss of access, and potential criminal or civil
penalties.
• Public safety benefits: Nationwide and Washington-specific results, including
recovery of missing and endangered persons, stolen vehicle recoveries, and
support for felony investigations.

Recommended Motion:
NA

Page 20 of 194

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
ALPR/FLOCK SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM

Page 21 of 194

SB 6002 (ALPR Law)

• Signed into law on March 30, 2026
• Created one of the strictest statewide ALPR
frameworks in the United States.
o Establishes clear permitted uses
o Imposes strict retention limits – 21 Days
o Restricts sharing and database alerts
o Requires policy adoption and annual reporting

Page 22 of 194

State Registration
• Attorney General’s Office made their Registration
Form available on June 24, 2026.
• Any agency planning to use or currently using an
ALPR system as of March 30, 2026, must register it
with the Attorney General’s Office within 180 days of
the effective date (September 26, 2026).

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Registration Requirements
• The agency’s ALPR system meets all requirements of
the Act;
• The agency has adopted a policy or policies
governing the use of its ALPR system; and
• The agency has a documented training process for
officers and personnel who will use the system.
• All our ALPRs will be registered by September 1,
2026.

Page 24 of 194

Policy Certification and Training
• Our agency’s ALPR policy, along with the allowed and
prohibited uses of the system, will be added to our
public facing Flock Transparency Portal.
• All users must be trained in the use of Flock/ALPR
systems prior to use. (Flock Academy)
• All users must review Flock/ALPR PowerPoint
Training
• All users must read and acknowledge ALPR policy
• All users must read ALPR Standard Operating
Procedures

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Flock Training
• Accessing Flock from Desktop and Mobile Application
• Search Criteria
• Review Desktop and Mobile Returns
• Technology Reminder
• Retention
• Reporting
• Outcomes
• Privately Held ALPR Data
• Training Search
• Annual Audit
• Misuse of the System

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Geographic Restrictions
• Prohibits agencies from collecting ALPR data at or
immediately surrounding certain sensitive locations,
including:
o Healthcare facilities
o Facilities conducting immigration matters
o Elementary and secondary schools
o Places of worship
o Food banks

• No Sharing with out-of-state entities unless required by a
court order
• Sharing with other Washington Agencies is allowed for
permitted purposes.

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Usage & Investigation Limits
• Permitted Use:
o May use ALPRs for Felonies, Gross Misdemeanors, Stolen
Vehicle Investigations, and locating missing/endangered
persons, and parking/traffic enforcement.

• Prohibited Use:
o Immigration enforcement or investigations
o Monitoring constitutionally protected activities (e.g.,
protests)
o Surveillance near reproductive or gender-affirming
healthcare facilities
o In proximity to places of worship, schools, or etc.

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Data Retention & Privacy
• Data Retention Limit – ALPR data must be deleted
after 21 Days, with limited exceptions.
• Must obtain a warrant to access ALPR data from
private entities. (e.g., Home Depot, or Lowes)
• Flock Safety Cameras and software do not support
facial recognition and do not allow inquiries
regarding gender or race. The cameras capture
license plates, vehicles, bicycles, and Trailers.

Page 29 of 194

County ALPR Accountability Policy
• If allegations arise that the user violated any part of
the policy or SOP the user may face disciplinary
action, including the suspension of their Flock access.
• Willful and intentional misuse of the ALPR system or
data may subject the user to criminal or civil
penalties

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Audits
• All user search activity is permanently stored by
Flock Safety
• Organization audit data contains
o Users
o Number of networks searched
o Offense type
o Case number
o Date/time
o License plate, vehicle fingerprint
o Reason for the search

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Reporting
• Public facing Flock transparency portal
• Annual audit requirements
• Mandates annual public reporting beginning
12/01/27

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What the Camera Captures
• Actual capture: Quarry Road @
Mountain Loop Hwy (Aug 14,
2026).
• A rear plate read with full OCR
confidence (1.00).
• As you can see, there is no way to
identify the driver of the vehicle.

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The Same Image, Fully Enhanced
• The same capture, enhanced to maximum detail.
• Still no way to identify the driver.

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Front Views: No Facial Recognition
• Actual front-facing captures (Aug 17, 2026).
• Even from the front, there is no way to identify the driver or
passengers.
• The system reads plates and vehicle details - not people.

Page 35 of 194

Organization Audit: May 1 - August 14, 2026
•

Only 24 searches by our organization in three and a half months.
o Hit and Run x 13
o Burglary x 10
o Missing/Endangered Person x 1

•

Every search is logged with an offense type, reason, and case number.

Page 36 of 194

Network Audits Conducted Regularly
•

Outside agencies searching our network are logged the same way.
o
o
o
o

Agency
Date
Reason
Case number

Examples:
Agency

Date

Reason for Search

Case Number

Mill Creek WA PD

Aug 14, 2026

Missing/Endangered Person - Welfare
Check

Kirkland 26-32582

Lake Stevens WA PD

Aug 14, 2026

Assault/Battery (Domestic) - Assault

2026-00014881

Arlington PD (WA)

Aug 14, 2026

Robbery - Robbery Suspect

26-13156

Page 37 of 194

Camera Placement: In and Out of
Town Only
• Our seven cameras sit only on the routes into and out of
town.
• They are not placed throughout the city, as in some other
municipalities.
• They answer one question - did a vehicle of interest pass
through Granite Falls? For example:
o A missing hiker's vehicle that entered town and never returned
o Stolen vehicles and vehicles tied to robberies
o Identifying hit-and-run suspect vehicles
o AMBER and Silver Alert matches

Page 38 of 194

When Data Becomes Evidence
• Data tied to an active case number moves out of the
automatic 21-day deletion cycle.
• It is preserved under standard evidence-handling and chainof-custody rules, with all access logged.
• Flock's new Evidence Mode preserves case-linked data in
secured cold storage - everything else still deletes on
schedule.

Source: Flock Safety, August 2026
Page 39 of 194

Proven, Life-Saving Results
• In 2025, Flock technology supported more than 1 million
criminal investigations nationwide.
• Helped locate more than 10,000 missing persons in a single
year.
o Abducted children, endangered seniors, and drivers with dementia
- often found within hours.

• An estimated 700,000+ crimes are solved each year with this
technology - roughly 10% of reported crime in the U.S.
• Over 40% of agencies report the system was involved in
recovering half or more of stolen vehicles in their jurisdiction.

Source: Flock Safety 2025 Impact Census, Flock Safety Research
Page 40 of 194

Bringing People Home Safely
• AMBER and Silver Alerts are matched against camera reads in
real time, so officers can act within minutes - not days.
• Colorado: six abducted children recovered in five months
using license plate reader alerts (Sept 2025 - Feb 2026).
o A 14-month-old in a stolen vehicle was recovered in under 10
minutes after an alert.

• Silver Alerts: elderly and at-risk drivers, including those with
dementia, are routinely located before harm occurs.
• These outcomes depend on timely alerts - minutes matter in
abduction and endangered-person cases.

Source: GlobeNewswire (Colorado), Flock Safety Missing Persons Report
Page 41 of 194

Results in Washington Communities
• Everett: 67% drop in monthly stolen vehicles in 2025
compared to the prior three-year average.
o 183 arrests, 95 stolen vehicles recovered, and 386 investigative
assists (Sept 2024 - Aug 2025).

• Yakima: alerts on 596 stolen vehicles and 33 missing persons
located in the first year of use.
• Everett police used a real-time alert to stop a stolen vehicle
and seize illegal drugs within minutes of detection.
• These results now operate under SB 6002 - one of the strictest
ALPR frameworks in the nation.

Source: Lynnwood Times, KOMO News, Citizen Portal (Edmonds)
Page 42 of 194

How the System Is Secured
• All images and data are encrypted end to end - on the camera,
in transit, and at rest (AES-256).
• Cameras have no public IP address and cannot be accessed
remotely; images are deleted from the device after upload.
• CJIS data is stored in the secure AWS GovCloud; multi-factor
authentication is required for every user.
• Independently audited: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, FBI CJIS, and
NDAA compliant.
• Agencies own their data - never sold, never shared without
authorization.

Source: Flock Safety Data Security Overview, Flock Safety Privacy Policy, Flock Trust Center
Page 43 of 194

Misuse Is Detected and Punished
• No anonymous searches: every search is permanently logged who, what, when, and why.
• Audit Assistance automatically flags abnormal search activity
for administrator review.
o Proactive lockout automatically suspends accounts showing
abnormal behavior, pending review.

• Audit logs have already led to discipline - and arrests - of
officers who misused the system.
• Willful misuse brings discipline, loss of access, and criminal or
civil penalties.

Source: Flock Safety Accountability Update, Flock Safety on System Misuse, Yahoo Finance
Page 44 of 194

Commitment to Granite Falls
• Transparency first: Snohomish County’s policy, permitted
uses, and search audits are published on the public Flock
Transparency Portal.
• Data is deleted after 21 days: stricter than the national
default and is never sold.
• Prohibited uses are enforced: no immigration enforcement,
no monitoring of protected activities or sensitive locations.
• Audit Reports: The City of Granite Falls and Snohomish
County will review audit reports and publish the required
annual public report.
• Questions are always welcome: at council meetings or via the
portal.

Source: Snohomish County Sheriff Transparency Portal
Page 45 of 194

Summary: Key Highlights

• RCW compliant: registered with the Attorney General by
September 1, 2026, under SB 6002 - one of the strictest ALPR laws
in the nation.
• Cameras capture plates and vehicles only: a reviewer cannot
identify the driver, and there is no facial recognition.
• Cameras cover routes in and out of town only: seven locations at
the city's entry points - not in neighborhoods.
• Data is deleted after 21 days and prohibited uses are enforced: no
immigration enforcement, no protected activities.
• Every search is permanently logged and audited: misuse brings
discipline and criminal or civil penalties.
• Proven, life-saving results: missing persons found and stolen
vehicles recovered.
• Full transparency: public portal and annual reporting.
Source: Snohomish County Sheriff Transparency Portal
Page 46 of 194

Questions?
CTD COMMANDER LT. TODD SWENSON [email protected]
BUREAU CHIEF MIKE MARTIN [email protected]

Page 47 of 194

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 127-2026 Public Hearing 7:10 Originating Dept.: City Council
p.m., or soon thereafter,
Regarding proposed amendments to
Approval(s):
Chapter 2.08 GFMC, and consideration of
adoption of Ordinance No. 1082-2026
Action Recommended: Adopt Ordinance
No. 1082-2026, amending Chapter 2.08
GFMC as set forth in Exhibit A, with the
regular meeting and regular work session
start time set at ____ p.m., following the
public hearing held this evening.
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/9/2026
Exhibit(s):
1.
Exhibit 1 - Public Hearing Notice
2.
Exhibit 2 - Verification of PH Posting
3.
Exhibit 3 - Affidavit of Publication
4.
Exhibit 4 - Ordinance No. 1082-2026
Chapter 2.08 Redline August 19
Public Hearing
5.
Exhibit 5 - Ordinance No. 1082-2026
Chapter 2.08 Amendments August 19
Updated
6.
Exhibit 6 - GFMC 2-08 PH
Budgeted Amount: NA
BARS Code: NA
Summary Statement:
Ordinance No. 1082-2026 amends Chapter 2.08 GFMC in 16 areas:

Page 48 of 194

1. Public comment on New Business and Current Business items 2.08.090(C)(2),
(6): Requires the presiding officer to invite public comment on each item of
business appearing under New Business or Current Business, whether the item
is scheduled for action or for discussion only, after the staff presentation and
after Council clarifying questions, and before Council deliberation and action.
Three minutes per person per item unless changed by majority vote. Comment
on any other matter, including any matter not on the agenda, is taken during the
Public Comments portion of the agenda.
2. Written testimony 2.08.090(C)(3): Adds an express written-comment provision
requiring written comment to be received by the city clerk no later than 3:00 p.m.
on the day of the meeting to be distributed to Council in advance, consistent with
RCW 42.30.240. Written comment received after the deadline is still distributed
and entered into the record. Written comment is encouraged, and the agenda
should state how to submit it.
3. Group spokesperson rule former 2.08.090(C)(3): Deleted in full. Reasonable time
and manner limits are retained and may be tightened by majority vote for a
particular item or meeting.
4. Workshop public comment 2.08.090(D)(2): Replaces the absolute prohibition with
public comment limited to items on the work session agenda, invited after the
staff presentation and Council clarifying questions, subject to time limits, with
written comment encouraged.
5. Order of business and council-manager roles 2.08.070(D), (G); 2.08.090(C)(1):
Adds a city manager’s report with the staff reports early in the meeting while
retaining mayor, Council, and city manager comments at the end. Clarifies the
mayor as presiding officer and ceremonial head and the city manager as chief
executive and administrative head.
6. Special meetings 2.08.080: Adds the city manager as a person who may call a
special meeting, retains the mayor and three-council member authority, and adds
website posting and the statutory limit on final disposition.
7. Vacancies and attendance 2.08.060: States the RCW 35A.12.060 rule directly,
confirms that regular work sessions count as regular meetings, clarifies that the
Council’s operative action is to excuse or decline to excuse, requires notification
to Council by the city manager or clerk, and cross-references GFMC 2.04.040 for
mayor pro tempore.
8. Comment time limits 2.08.090(C)(11): Removes the five-minute and fifteenminute limits on mayor, Council, and city manager comments; expands the
permitted content to include business for a future agenda and information of
general community interest; and clarifies that final action is deferred unless
permitted by law and immediate action is appropriate.
9. Meeting logistics 2.08.070(B); 2.08.090(C)(7): Presents the start time as a
bracketed choice between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; describes the meeting
location by reference to the agenda and public notice rather than a fixed address;
and replaces the mandatory lectern with participation at a location and in a
manner designated by the presiding officer that is accessible and audible.
10. Appeal of a ruling of the chair 2.08.090(C)(9): Adds a clear motion to appeal a

Page 49 of 194

ruling of the chair, with the city attorney available as parliamentarian. The
existing 10:30 p.m. meeting-end provision in 2.08.090(C)(10) is not amended and
remains as currently codified.
11. Voting and minutes 2.08.090(F)(1), (2): Keeps the voice vote as the default with
the presiding officer announcing the result; records the aggregate result,
including unanimity; preserves any member’s right to request a roll call, in which
case the ayes and nays are recorded, consistent with RCW 35A.12.120; and
provides that where a voice vote is unclear, ambiguous, or inaudible, a roll call is
taken if the presiding officer requests clarification or a member requests a roll
call. A dissenting vote alone does not trigger a roll call. Deletes the rule treating
silence as an affirmative vote and replaces "mayor" with "presiding officer" where
appropriate.
12. Remote attendance 2.08.090(F)(8): Replaces telephonic attendance with remote
attendance; removes the once-per-calendar-year cap; requires an advance
request when practicable and an affirmative Council motion to permit remote
attendance for that meeting; counts an approved remote member as present for
quorum and voting where real-time two-way audio or an equivalent reliable
means of participation exists; and provides that if remote attendance is not
approved and the member does not attend, the absence is unexcused unless
separately excused. Remote participation on a quasi-judicial matter is permitted
only if consistent with applicable law and the due process rights of the parties
and only upon the advice and direction of the city attorney. This is the single
quasi-judicial remote-participation standard in the ordinance.
13. Expenses and compensation 2.08.030: Separates reimbursement of actual and
necessary expenses from compensation; removes the $100.00 per month figure
and refers compensation to the Chapter 2.58 GFMC salary commission; and
provides that expense claims follow the city’s ordinary claims process rather than
requiring a resolution for each claim.
14. Eligibility, forms of address, duties 2.08.020, .040, .050: No substantive change
to 2.08.020. Aligns 2.08.040 with state law on incompatible offices while
preserving the city-employee and reserve-officer prohibition. Retains the forms of
address in 2.08.050, framed as professional norms.
15. Ordinances, resolutions and motions 2.08.100: Corrects the lowercase "however"
to "However" in subsection (E)(1). No other change.
16. Committees 2.08.090(G): Carried forward unchanged. No amendment to this
subsection is proposed.
Background:
Chapter 2.08 GFMC governs the City Council regarding elections and oath, duties,
expenses, eligibility for other city positions, forms of address, vacancies, meeting rules,
special meetings, meeting procedures, and enacted ordinances, resolutions and
motions. Substantial portions of the chapter date from Ordinance No. 776-09 (2009),
with amendments in 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2022. Several provisions no longer match
state law, the council-manager form of government, or the Council’s actual meeting

Page 50 of 194

practice.
In spring 2026, the city manager circulated a written survey asking each
Councilmember to review Chapter 2.08 section by section. Ten recurring themes
emerged: public comment timing; work session comment practice; council-manager role
clarity; agenda and order of business; remote attendance; voting and minutes; meeting
logistics; expenses; forms of address and decorum; and compensation and the salary
commission.
At its regular meeting on July 1, 2026, the Council took up the chapter and worked
through each theme with the city manager and the city attorney, giving section-bysection direction by show of hands or express consensus. Council directed staff and the
city attorney to prepare a redraft, return it at a work session, and, if the Council
concurred, schedule a public hearing followed by consideration of an adopting
ordinance.
At its work session on August 12, 2026, the Council reviewed the redline draft of
Chapter 2.08 GFMC and resolved or refined the policy choices that remained open.
Ordinance No. 1082-2026, attached to this agenda bill with Exhibit A, reflects the July 1,
2026 direction as confirmed at the August 12 work session. Bracketed in the draft so
that the public may address both options at this hearing.

Recommended Motion:
After the close of the Public Hearing 1) Motion to adopt Ordinance No. 1082-2026, amending Chapter 2.08 GFMC as set
forth in Exhibit A, with the regular meeting and regular work session start time set at
____ p.m., following the public hearing held this evening.

Page 51 of 194

EXHIBIT 1

Page 52 of 194

EXHIBIT 2

Page 53 of 194

EXHIBIT 3

Page 54 of 194

Page 55 of 194

2.08.010 Elections - Oath.

Deleted: –

The five members of the council shall be elected and each serve a four-year term pursuant to RCW 29A.04.321
and 29A.04.330. Each council member, before entering upon the duties of the office, shall take, and file with the
city clerk, an oath of office.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009)

2.08.020 Duties.
The council shall be the legislative division of the city government and shall perform such duties and have such
powers as may be authorized by statute.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009)

2.08.030 Expenses and compensation.
(A) Expense reimbursement. Council members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the discharge of official duties upon submission of a claim in the form and manner required by
the city’s ordinary claims process and applicable city financial policies. A separate resolution of the council is
not required for each individual claim; claims are approved through the city’s regular voucher and claims
approval process.

Deleted: Council members may be reimbursed for actual
expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties upon
presentation of a claim therefor and its allowance and
approval by resolution of the council. Compensation shall be
$100.00 per month until increased or decreased by the
salary commission established by Chapter 2.58 GFMC.

(B) Compensation. Compensation of council members shall be in the amount established, and as thereafter
increased or decreased, by the independent salary commission established under Chapter 2.58 GFMC,
subject to applicable state law. Compensation is separate and distinct from reimbursement of actual and
necessary expenses under subsection (A) of this section.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1023 § 1, 2022; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.040 Eligibility for other city positions.
An elected or appointed city council member shall not hold the position of police reserve officer or city employee
for the city. In addition, no council member shall hold any other office or position that is incompatible with the
office of council member under state law, and the eligibility of a council member to hold any other office or
position shall be determined in accordance with applicable state law.

Deleted: be allowed to

(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.050 Forms of address.
The mayor shall be addressed as "mayor (surname)." Members of the council shall be addressed as "council
member (surname)." These forms of address state the professional norms of the council and are intended to
support an orderly and respectful meeting; they are not intended to create a basis for a point of order or other
procedural objection.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.060 Vacancies; attendance.

Deleted: If a member of the council is absent from three
consecutive meetings, unless by permission of the council,
the office shall be declared vacant by the council. Vacancies
in the council shall be filled by a majority vote of the
council. An appointed council member shall hold office only
until the next general election, at which time a person shall
be elected to serve for the remainder of the unexpired
term.…
Deleted: —

Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 1

Page 56 of 194

(A) Vacancy for nonattendance. Consistent with RCW 35A.12.060, a council position shall become vacant if
the council member fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the council without being excused
by the council. For purposes of this section, "regular meetings" includes regular work session meetings held
under GFMC 2.08.070(B), because those meetings are regular meetings of the council under state law.
(B) Council action. The action taken by the council with respect to each absence is the action to excuse, or to
decline to excuse, that absence under GFMC 2.08.070(F). No separate declaration of vacancy is required for
the vacancy to occur. When a vacancy has occurred under subsection (A) of this section, the city manager or
the city clerk shall notify the council, and the clerk shall make an appropriate notation in the record.
(C) Filling vacancies. Vacancies in the council shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of
the council in accordance with applicable state law. An appointed council member shall hold office only until
the next general municipal election at which the position may lawfully be filled, at which time a person shall
be elected to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(D) Mayor pro tempore. The selection, term, and authority of the mayor pro tempore (also referred to as
deputy mayor) are governed by GFMC 2.04.040 and applicable state law, including RCW 35A.12.065 and
35A.12.110, and are not restated in this chapter.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.070 Meeting rules.
(A) Statutory Compliance Required. Meetings of the council shall be conducted in accordance with the laws
of the state as the same are now or hereafter shall be in force.
(B) Time and Place - Legal Holidays. Regular meetings of the council shall be held on the first and third
Wednesdays of each month at the hour of [6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m. - policy choice reserved for Council], and a
regular work session meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at the hour of [6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.
- policy choice reserved for Council]. The meetings shall be held at the location stated on the agenda and
public notice for the meeting, and shall be open to the public. Regular meetings may be adjourned from time
to time during the month, as necessity may require, by the majority vote of the council members present at
any such regular meeting. Less than a quorum of the governing body may also adjourn from time to time,
and if all members are absent from any regular or adjourned meeting, the city clerk may declare the meeting
adjourned to a stated time and place and provide notice in accordance with RCW 42.30.080 and 42.30.090.
In the event a regular meeting of the council occurs on a legal holiday, the council shall hold its regular
meeting on the next secular day following the legal holiday.

Deleted: –
Deleted: 7:00 p.m.
Deleted: –
Deleted: 7:00 p.m.
Deleted: –
Deleted: in the council chambers of City Hall, 206 S.
Granite Ave., Granite Falls, Washington,

(C) Open to the Public. All meetings of the city council shall be open to the public, except as provided for in
RCW 42.30.110 or 42.30.140.
(D) Presiding Officer. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the council. In the council-manager plan of
government under Chapter 35A.13 RCW, the mayor is chosen from among the members of the council,
serves as chair of the council and as the ceremonial head of the city, and has no regular administrative
duties; the city manager is the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of city
government. In case of the mayor’s absence or temporary disability, the mayor pro tempore selected under
GFMC 2.04.040 shall preside. If both the mayor and the mayor pro tempore are absent, the members
present may, by majority vote, select one of their number to preside, and the member so selected retains
the right to vote as a council member. The member presiding is referred to as "presiding officer" in this
chapter.

Deleted: the council, by majority vote, shall appoint a
mayor pro tempore from its membership.
Deleted: mayor
Deleted: from time to time

(1) Preservation of Order. The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, confining council
members to debate the question under discussion.
(2) Powers. The mayor shall:

Deleted: —
Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 2

Page 57 of 194

(a) Be the official and ceremonial head of the city and shall represent the city on ceremonial
occasions, except that, when illness or other duties prevent the mayor’s attendance, the mayor
pro tempore or other council member or suitable person may be designated by the mayor to
represent the city on such occasion.
(b) Perform such other duties as are assigned to the presiding officer by this chapter and by state
law, and, if and to the extent authorized by ordinance or by state law, serve in the role provided
for the mayor in an emergency or civil emergency.
(E) Quorum. Attendance of a majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum thereof,
consistent with RCW 35A.12.120.
(F) Attendance/Excused Absences. If absence is anticipated, a council member shall contact the presiding
officer, fellow council member, or city clerk prior to the meeting and state the reason for his or her inability
to attend the meeting. Following roll call, the presiding officer, fellow council member, or city clerk shall
inform the council of the member’s absence and state the reason for such absence. If there is a motion to
excuse the member, this motion shall be nondebatable. Upon passage of such motion by a majority of
members present, the absent member shall be considered excused and the clerk will make an appropriate
notation in the minutes. An absence that is not excused by the council is an unexcused absence for purposes
of GFMC 2.08.060. A member permitted to attend remotely under GFMC 2.08.090(F)(8) is present at the
meeting and is not absent for purposes of this subsection or GFMC 2.08.060.
(G) Preparation of Agenda/Council Material. As a guideline for advance preparation of the agenda, the city
clerk, under the direction of the city manager, shall arrange a list of proposed matters according to the order
of business, and prepare and distribute a draft agenda by 5:00 p.m. Friday, at least five days before the next
regular city council meeting. Council members may direct the city manager to add items to the agenda as
long as the request is received by noon Thursday at least six days before the next regular city council
meeting. A copy of the preliminary agenda and supporting materials - including the city manager’s written
report and staff reports - shall be distributed to council members and city manager and made available to
other staff, the media, and city residents in advance of the meeting. At the city council meeting, the city
council may, by majority vote of the council members present, delete any item from the agenda, or add any
item to it, after stating the reasons for the change.
(H) Public Notice of Preliminary Meeting Agendas. The public shall be notified of the preliminary agenda for
forthcoming council meetings by the city clerk posting a copy of the preliminary agenda at city hall, the post
office, and the library by 5:00 p.m. at least two days prior to the scheduled meeting. The preliminary agenda
shall also be posted on the city website. The agenda for a regular work session meeting should identify the
meeting as a work session.

Deleted: /her

Deleted: —
Deleted: —

Deleted: City Hall
Deleted: may also be
Deleted: as an additional form of notification

(I) Minutes. The city clerk shall be ex officio clerk of the council and shall keep the minutes and records as
required by state law, of all council proceedings including public hearings, regular meetings, and special
meetings, and perform such other duties in the meeting as may be required by the council or city manager.
The minutes kept shall identify the general discussion of the issue in summary form and complete detail of
the official action or consensus reached, if any, and shall record votes as provided in GFMC 2.08.090(F).
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 864 § 1, 2014; Ord. 875 § 1, 2014; Ord. 904 § 4, 2015; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.080 Special meetings.
Special meetings of the council may be called by the mayor, by the city manager, or upon the written request of
three council members, consistent with RCW 42.30.080; provided, that:
(A) Notice of the special meeting shall be prepared in writing by the city clerk. The notice shall specify the
time and location and the business to be transacted of the meeting. Final disposition shall not be taken on
any other matter at the special meeting; and

Deleted: contain information designating
Deleted: ,
Deleted: ,
Deleted: subject or agenda
Deleted: —

Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 3

Page 58 of 194

(B) Notice shall be delivered to each council member, the mayor, and the business office of each local
newspaper, radio and/or television station which has on file a written request for notice of special meetings.
The notice must be delivered at least 24 hours prior to the start of the special meeting. The notice shall also
be posted on the city website and, if applicable, at the physical locations required by RCW 42.30.080.
(C) The notices provided in this section may be dispensed with or disregarded within the circumstances
provided by RCW 42.30.080, that is:
(1) Any member who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files with the city clerk a written
waiver of notice;
(2) Any member who was actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes; and
(3) In the event a special meeting is called to deal with an emergency involving injury or damage to
persons or property or the likelihood of such injury or damage, when time requirements of such notice
would make notice impractical and increase the likelihood of such injury or damage.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.090 Meeting procedures.
(A) Rules of Order. Rules of order and questions of parliamentary procedure not otherwise specified by
statute, ordinance or resolution shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, current edition.
The city attorney may serve as parliamentarian to the council and may advise the presiding officer and the
council on questions of parliamentary procedure and points of order.

Deleted: – 10th Edition, or any revisions or amendments
thereto…

(1) A council member desiring to speak shall address the presiding officer and, upon recognition by the
presiding officer, shall speak to the issues in a civil manner, respecting the viewpoints of others and
avoiding personalities, focusing on the issue at hand, sharing their own motives and reasons for
supporting or not supporting an item for discussion, in a polite and courteous manner towards each
other and the public.
(2) A council member, while speaking, should not be interrupted unless it be to call the council member
to order.
(3) Council members have the right to speak more than once on the same question; provided,
however, that before speaking a second time, all other council members who have not yet spoken on
the question and who desire the floor must be allowed the opportunity first.
(B) Motions. All items of business placed before the council that require the expenditure of council and/or
administration resources shall be in the form of an affirmative motion. Affirmative motions are preferred to
prevent "approval by default" of a failed negative motion.
(C) Order of Business - Regular Meetings - First and Third Wednesdays. The accepted order of business of all
the regular meetings of the council held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month shall be transacted
as shown in the following list; provided, however, that during a council meeting the council may, by majority
vote, rearrange the order of the items on the agenda, or postpone any item, or add any item to the agenda,
to conduct the business before the council more expeditiously or in a manner desired by the council. This
accepted order of business may also be changed periodically from the format shown as follows:

Deleted: –
Deleted: –

(1) (a) Call to order.
(b) Flag salute.
(c) Roll call.
(d) Consent agenda.
(e) City manager’s report.

Deleted: —
Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 4

Page 59 of 194

(f) Staff reports.

Deleted: (e)

(g) Public comment on items not on the agenda.

Deleted: (f)

(h) New business.

Deleted: /nonagenda items
Deleted: (g)

(i) Current business.

Deleted: (h)

(j) Mayor’s comments.

Deleted: (i) Mayor’s comments (five minutes).

(k) Council comments.

Deleted: (j) Council comments (15 minutes).

(l) City manager’s comments.

Deleted: (k) City manager’s comments (five minutes).

(m) Executive session (if requested).

Deleted: (l)

(n) Adjourn.

Deleted: (m)

(2) Public comment on New Business and Current Business items. For each item of business appearing
on the agenda under New Business or Current Business, whether or not final action on the item is
contemplated at that meeting, the presiding officer shall invite public comment on that item after the
staff presentation and after council members have had the opportunity to ask questions of staff for
clarification, and before council deliberation, discussion, and any action on the item. Public comment
under this subsection is limited to three minutes per person per item unless the council by majority
vote sets a different limit. Comment on any other matter, including any matter not appearing on the
agenda, shall be made during the public comment portion of the agenda provided for in subsection
(C)(1)(g) of this section. No final action may be taken at a meeting unless the public has been given the
opportunity to comment.

Deleted: (2) All subjects on the current agenda under
public comment, and public comment on items not on
the agenda, are limited to three minutes per individual
unless revised by the city council by majority vote (see
subsection (C)(4) of this section).

(3) Written comment. Any person may submit written comment on any matter, whether or not it
appears on the agenda. Written comment is encouraged, and the agenda and public notice should state
how written comment may be submitted. In order to be distributed to the council in advance of the
meeting, written comment must be received by the city clerk no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the
meeting. Written comment that is accepted shall be distributed to the members of the council,
consistent with RCW 42.30.240. Written comment received after the deadline shall be distributed to
the council as soon as practicable and entered into the record.

Deleted: (3) In the event of single subject group
comment, a spokesperson shall be designated to speak
on behalf of the group and be limited to five minutes.
However, at the discretion of the council by majority
vote, additional time allocation for a spokesperson may
be allowed. Groups that qualify for this special treatment
shall submit to the mayor, prior to comment, a list of
present group constituents or others in agreement so
that duplication shall not occur.

(4) The city council desires to allow a maximum opportunity for public comment. However, the
business of the city must proceed in an orderly, timely manner. At any time, the council, at its sole
discretion, may set such reasonable limits on the time and manner of public comment by majority vote
as are necessary to prevent disruption of other necessary business. Reasonable limits may include
reducing the per-speaker time limit for a particular item or meeting. The presiding officer may decline
to take oral comment only where taking comment would make the orderly conduct of the meeting
infeasible, consistent with RCW 42.30.240.

Deleted: testimony
Deleted: testimony
Deleted: by majority vote

(5) Subjects Not on the Current Agenda. Any member of the public may request time to address the
council after first stating their name, address or neighborhood (at the option of the speaker), and the
subject of their comments. The presiding officer may then allow the comments subject to the time
limitations set forth in this section. Following such comments, the presiding officer may place the
matter on a future agenda, or refer the matter to city staff or a council committee for follow up.
(6) Subjects on the Current Agenda. Any member of the public who wishes to address the council on an
item on the current agenda appearing under New Business or Current Business may do so when the
presiding officer invites comment on that item under subsection (C)(2) of this section. Comment on any
other subject shall be made during the public comment portion of the agenda. As an option, the
presiding officer may invoke a sign-in procedure. The presiding officer may change the order of
speakers so that comment is heard in the most logical groupings.

Deleted: shall make such request to the presiding officer
at the time when comments from the public are
requested during the agenda item discussion.
Deleted: shall rule on the appropriateness of public
comments as the agenda item is reached and shall rule
on a specific individual or group time limit for public
comment. The presiding officer
Deleted: —

Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 5

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(7) Comments shall be made from a location and in a manner designated by the presiding officer that is
accessible to the speaker and audible to the council and the public, first giving the speaker’s name and
address or neighborhood (at the option of the speaker). Anyone making "out of order" or disruptive
comments shall be subject to removal from the meeting.

Deleted: from the microphone at the lectern, first giving
Deleted: No comments shall be made from any other
location, and anyone

(8) There will be no demonstrations (i.e., clapping or cheering) before, during, or at the conclusion of
anyone’s presentation.
(9) Appeal of a ruling of the chair. Any council member may appeal a ruling of the presiding officer by
moving to appeal the ruling immediately after the ruling is made. The motion requires a second. The
presiding officer may briefly state the basis for the ruling and the appealing member may briefly state
the basis for the appeal; the motion is not otherwise debatable. The question shall be stated as, "Shall
the ruling of the chair be sustained?" The ruling of the chair is sustained unless a majority of the
members present votes to overrule it. The presiding officer or any member may request the advice of
the city attorney, acting as parliamentarian, before the vote is taken.

Deleted: (9) Any ruling by the presiding officer may be
overruled by a vote of a majority of members present.

(10) Adjournment. No meeting shall be permitted to continue beyond 10:30 p.m. without the approval
of a simple majority of council members present and eligible to vote. The council shall be deemed to
have approved an extension of the meeting beyond 10:30 p.m. unless a member requests a vote to
whether to extend or adjourn. A new time limit must be established before taking a council vote to
extend the meeting. The items not acted upon or considered shall be deferred to the next regular
council meeting, as old business, unless the council, by a majority vote of council members present,
determines otherwise.
(11) City Manager, Mayor and Council Member Comments and Concerns. The agenda shall provide a
time when the city manager ("city manager’s comments"), mayor ("mayor’s comments") or any council
member ("council comments") may bring before the council any business that the speaker feels should
be deliberated upon by the council or added to a future agenda, and may share information of general
community interest. These matters need not be specifically listed on the agenda, but formal action on
such matters shall be deferred until a subsequent council meeting, except that action may be taken
where permitted by law and the council determines that immediate action is appropriate, upon a vote
of a majority of all council members present. No time limit applies to comments under this subsection.
(D) Order of Business - Regular Work Session Meetings - Second Wednesday. The accepted order of business
of all the regular work session meetings of the council held on the second Wednesday of each month shall be
transacted as shown in the following list; provided, however, that during a council meeting the council may,
by majority vote, rearrange the order of the items on the agenda, or postpone any item, or add any item to
the agenda, to conduct the business before the council more expeditiously or in a manner desired by the
council. This accepted order of business may also be changed periodically from the format shown as follows:

Deleted: he/she

Deleted: that for those items that need immediate
council action or approval, such action or approval may
be taken upon a vote of a majority of all council
members present.…
Deleted: –
Deleted: –

(1) (a) Call to order.
(b) Roll call.
(c) Discussion topics.
(d) Executive session (if requested).

Deleted: (d)

(e) Adjourn.
(2) Public comment at work session meetings. Regular work session meetings are regular meetings of
the council, although final action is not typically taken at a work session. Public comment is permitted
at regular work session meetings and is limited to the items appearing on the work session agenda. For
each discussion item, the presiding officer shall invite public comment after the staff presentation and
after council members have had the opportunity to ask questions for clarification, and before council
discussion of the item. Comment is limited to three minutes per person per item unless the council by

Deleted: (2) No public comment shall be taken or
permitted by the city council at any point during regular
work session meetings held on the second Wednesday of
each month.…

Deleted: —

Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 6

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majority vote sets a different limit, and the reasonable time and manner limits in subsection (C)(4) of
this section apply. Written comment on work session agenda items is encouraged and shall be
distributed to the council as provided in subsection (C)(3) of this section.
(E) Citizens’ Comments. For meetings which include public comment as an agenda item, time shall be set
aside for the council to hear from the public, subject to subsections (C)(2) through (C)(7) and (D)(2) of this
section.

Deleted: subsection (C)(2) of this section

(1) No member of the public shall be heard until recognized by the presiding officer. Any member of
the public interrupting city council proceedings, approaching the dais without permission, otherwise
creating a disturbance, or failing to abide by these rules of procedure in addressing the city council, may
be charged with disorderly conduct (RCW 9A.84.030, a misdemeanor) and, at the direction of the
presiding officer or the majority of the council, may be removed from council chambers.
(2) All remarks shall be made to the city council as a body and not to an individual council member or
to the presiding officer.
(3) Each person who addresses the city council shall not make personal, impertinent, slanderous or
profane remarks to any council member, the presiding officer, city staff, or the general public. Any
person who makes such remarks, or who utters loud, threatening, personal or abusive language, or
engages in any other disorderly conduct which disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly
conduct of any city council meeting shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of the
council, be removed from the council chambers and be barred from further audience before the council
during that council meeting.
(4) Warning. The presiding officer shall request that a person who is breaching the rules of decorum be
orderly and silent. If, after receiving a warning or warnings from the presiding officer, a person persists
in disturbing the meeting, the presiding officer or a majority of the council shall order him or her to
leave the council meeting. If such person does not remove himself or herself, the presiding officer or a
majority of the council may order any law enforcement officer to remove the person from council
chambers. Any person who resists removal by the law enforcement officer may be charged with a
violation of this section.

Deleted: /her
Deleted: himself

(F) Voting. The votes during all meetings of the council shall be transacted as follows:
(1) Unless otherwise provided for by statute, ordinance, or resolution, all votes shall be taken by voice,
and the presiding officer shall announce the result of each vote, except that at the request of any
council member, a roll call vote shall be taken by the city clerk and the ayes and nays shall be recorded,
consistent with RCW 35A.12.120. The order of the roll call vote shall be determined by the city clerk.
(2) Recording of votes. For a voice vote, the minutes shall record the aggregate result announced by
the presiding officer, including a statement that the vote was unanimous where that is the case. Any
council member may request a roll call vote as provided in subsection (F)(1) of this section, in which
case the ayes and nays shall be recorded. If the result of a voice vote is unclear or ambiguous, or if any
member’s vote is not clearly audible, a roll call vote shall be taken if the presiding officer requests
clarification of the vote or any council member requests a roll call, so that each member’s vote is
accurately recorded in the minutes. Individual votes shall be recorded in the minutes only where a roll
call vote has been taken or where the member’s individual vote has otherwise been clearly stated on
the record.

Deleted: the mayor or any council member

Deleted: (2) In the event the presiding officer has called
for both aye and nay votes, in addition to abstentions,
silence of a council member during a voice vote shall be
counted and recorded as an affirmative vote.

(3) In case of a tie vote on any proposal or question, the proposal or question shall fail.
(4) The passage of any ordinance, grant or revocation of franchise or license, and any resolution for the
payment of money, shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the whole membership of
Deleted: —
Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 7

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the council, consistent with RCW 35A.12.120. On a five-member council, this requires three affirmative
votes regardless of the number of members present.
(5) The passage of any public emergency ordinance (an ordinance that takes effect immediately), such
as an ordinance for provisions for emergencies or expenditures necessary for the protection of the
public health, public safety, public property, or public peace, shall require the affirmative vote of at
least a majority plus one of the whole membership of the council. Public emergency ordinances may
not levy taxes; grant, renew or extend a franchise; or authorize the borrowing of money.
(6) The passage of any motion or resolution shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of
the council members who are present and eligible to vote, unless otherwise authorized or required by
provisions of Washington State law, the Granite Falls Municipal Code, or this chapter (see subsection
(F)(4) of this section).
(7) A motion or request by a council member (with or without a second) to "call the question" (or
similar words indicating an intent to terminate further debate and take a vote on a pending motion)
allows a vote on the pending motion to immediately take place, unless any council member requests
that the motion to "call the question" be put to a vote, in which case, debate is only terminated if
adopted by a two-thirds vote of the council members present.
(8) Remote Attendance.
(a) Request. A council member who wishes to attend a meeting remotely shall notify the city clerk
in advance of the meeting whenever practicable so that the necessary connection can be
arranged.
(b) Council approval. The council may, by affirmative motion adopted by a majority of the
members present, permit a council member to attend that meeting remotely. Approval applies to
the meeting for which it is granted.
(c) Effect of approval. A council member permitted to attend remotely is counted as present for
purposes of quorum and voting, so long as real-time participation is available throughout the
member’s participation. Real-time participation requires two-way audio, or an equivalent reliable
means of participation, by which the member can hear all that is spoken at the meeting, all
persons at the meeting can hear or otherwise reliably receive the member’s statements and votes,
the member has received the materials for the meeting, and the member’s vote can be clearly
recorded.

Deleted: (8) Telephonic Attendance. A council member
may attend a council meeting via telephone once per
calendar year. Telephonic attendance of a council
member shall not constitute a quorum of the council. In
order to attend a council meeting via telephone, a
council member shall inform the city clerk no later than
three working days before the meeting in order for a
telephone connection to be arranged, whereby the voice
of the council member can be identified, the council
member can hear all that is spoken at the meeting, and
all persons at the meeting can hear the council member
speak. To attend a council meeting by telephone, a
council member shall have received in advance all
materials for the meeting. Telephone attendance of a
council member for purposes of voting on a quasi-judicial
matter at a council meeting is prohibited.

(d) Failure of connection. If real-time participation is lost and cannot promptly be restored, the
presiding officer shall so state on the record, and the member shall be treated as absent from the
remainder of the meeting unless and until participation is restored.
(e) Effect of denial. If the council does not approve remote attendance and the member does not
attend the meeting, the absence is an unexcused absence for purposes of GFMC 2.08.060 unless
the council separately votes to excuse the absence under GFMC 2.08.070(F).
(f) Quasi-judicial matters. A council member may participate and vote remotely on a quasi-judicial
matter only if doing so is consistent with applicable law and the due process rights of the parties,
and only upon the advice and direction of the city attorney.
(g) No annual limit. There is no limit on the number of meetings a council member may attend
remotely under this subsection; the council retains discretion under subsection (F)(8)(b) of this
section to approve or deny each request.
(G) Committees. All special committee members shall be appointed by the city manager with the approval
of the council.
Deleted: —
Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 8

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(H) Reading of Minutes. Unless a reading of the minutes of a previous council meeting is requested by a
council member, such minutes may be approved without reading; provided, that the city clerk has furnished
each council member with a written copy of the minutes prior to the present meeting.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 803 § 1, 2010; Ord. 904 § 5, 2015; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.100 Enacted ordinances, resolutions and motions.
(A) An enacted ordinance is a legislative act prescribing general, uniform, and permanent rules or
regulations relating to the operation and corporate affairs of the municipality. Council action shall be taken
by ordinance when required by law, or where such conduct is enforced by penalty.
(B) An enacted resolution is an administrative act which is a formal statement of policy concerning matters
of special or temporary character. Council action shall be taken by resolution when required by law and in
those instances where an expression of policy more formal than a motion is desired.
(C) An enacted motion is a form of action taken by the council to direct that a specific action be taken on
behalf of the municipality. A motion, once approved and entered into the record, is the equivalent of a
resolution in those instances where a resolution is not required by law, and where such motion is not in
conflict with existing state or federal statutes, city ordinances, resolutions or these rules.
(D) Resolutions. A resolution may be put to its final passage on the same day on which it was introduced.
The title of each resolution shall, in all cases, be read prior to its passage; provided, should a council member
request that the entire resolution or certain of its sections be read, such requests shall be granted.
(E) Ordinances. The procedures for consideration and adoption of ordinances are as follows:
(1) An ordinance may be put to its final passage on the same day on which it was introduced by
passage of a council member’s motion for first and final reading and adoption of the ordinance.
However, council may invoke two separate readings of the ordinance at separate council meetings to
facilitate public understanding of and/or comment on the ordinance. At each reading, the title of an
ordinance shall, in all cases, be read prior to its passage; provided, that should a council member
request that the entire ordinance or certain of its sections be read, such request shall be granted.

Deleted: however

(2) Any ordinance repealing any portion of the Granite Falls Municipal Code shall also repeal the
respective portions of the underlying ordinance(s).
(F) Reconsideration. Any action of the council shall be subject to a motion to reconsider, including final
action on applications for legislative changes in land use status, but excluding a reconsideration of any action
previously reconsidered. Motions to adjourn, motions to suspend the rules, an affirmative vote to lay on the
table or to take from the table, or a vote electing to office one who is present and does not decline are not
subject to a reconsideration motion. Reconsideration can be requested only by motion of a member of the
prevailing side of the original motion. A motion to reconsider must be made at the next regular city council
meeting for action to be reconsidered. A motion to reconsider is debatable only if the action being
reconsidered is debatable. Upon passage of a motion to reconsider, the subject matter is returned to the
table anew for any action the council deems advisable.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

Deleted: —
Chapter 2.08 GFMC -- Redline · Page 9

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CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, WASHINGTON

ORDINANCE NO. 1082-2026
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, WASHINGTON, AMENDING
CHAPTER 2.08 GFMC RELATING TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, PROCEDURES, PUBLIC COMMENT, SPECIAL
MEETINGS, VACANCIES, ATTENDANCE, VOTING, EXPENSES, AND RELATED MATTERS; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY; ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Granite Falls is a noncharter code city operating under the council-manager plan
of government provided in Chapter 35A.13 RCW, under which the city manager is the chief executive
officer and head of the administrative branch of city government and the mayor, chosen from among
the members of the council, presides at council meetings and serves as the ceremonial head of the
city; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 2.08 GFMC governs the City Council, including its meetings, procedures, public
comment, special meetings, vacancies, attendance, voting, and expenses, and portions of that chapter
have not been comprehensively reviewed since their adoption by Ordinance No. 776-09 in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 776-09 repealed Ordinance No. 307 and Ordinance No. 506 and repealed
and replaced Chapter 2.08 GFMC in its entirety with a new chapter entitled "City Council" relating to
city council policies and procedures, and as originally adopted GFMC 2.08.030 was entitled
"Compensation" and provided for compensation of $100.00 per month together with reimbursement
of actual expenses upon presentation of a claim and its allowance and approval by resolution of the
council; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 803-10 amended Ordinance No. 776-09 and GFMC 2.08.090(C) to change
the order of business to provide for receipt of staff reports earlier in the conduct of regular meetings
of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 864-2014 amended GFMC 2.08.070(B) to set the regular meetings of the
City Council on the first and third Mondays of the month at 7:30 p.m. with a workshop on the second
Monday, and Ordinance No. 875-2014 thereafter amended GFMC 2.08.070(B) to revise the regular
meetings of the City Council to 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month with a work
session on the second Wednesday, which is the schedule presently codified; and
WHEREAS, following the election of November 2015 at which the voters of the City adopted the
council-manager plan of government set forth in Chapter 35A.13 RCW, Ordinance No. 904-2015
amended various sections of the Granite Falls Municipal Code, including GFMC 2.08.070 and GFMC
2.08.090, to reflect the change in the form of government from the mayor-council plan to the councilmanager plan, principally by substituting the term "city manager" for the terms "city administrator"
and "mayor" and by removing the elected mayor’s role as executive head of the executive branch of
city government, and certain mayor-council terminology nonetheless remains in Chapter 2.08 GFMC
and should now be corrected; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1023-2022 amended GFMC 2.08.030, changed the title of that section from
"Compensation" to "Expenses," and added a new Chapter 2.58 GFMC establishing an independent
salary commission pursuant to RCW 35.21.015, while retaining in GFMC 2.08.030 the statement that
compensation shall be $100.00 per month until increased or decreased by the salary commission, with
the result that the section presently combines two distinct subjects and states a compensation figure
that no longer reflects the determination of the salary commission; and

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WHEREAS, in 2026 the City Council undertook a section-by-section review of Chapter 2.08 GFMC,
beginning with a written survey of Councilmembers and continuing with a facilitated discussion at the
regular City Council meeting of July 1, 2026, at which the city manager and the city attorney reviewed
each section with the Council and the Council provided non-binding direction to staff; and
WHEREAS, at the July 1, 2026 meeting the Council directed staff and the city attorney to prepare a
redraft of Chapter 2.08 GFMC reflecting that direction, to return the redraft to the Council at a work
session, and thereafter, if the Council concurred, to schedule a public hearing and consideration of an
adopting ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the draft amendments at its regular work session on August 12,
2026, and provided further direction to staff; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments on August
19, 2026, at which all persons wishing to be heard were given an opportunity to comment orally and
in writing, and the Council considered the testimony received; and
WHEREAS, RCW 42.30.240 requires that, except in an emergency, the governing body provide an
opportunity for public comment at or before every regular meeting at which final action is taken,
permits that comment to be oral or written, requires that written testimony that is accepted be
distributed to the members of the governing body, and permits reasonable deadlines for written
testimony and reasonable limits on the time, place, and manner of comment; and
WHEREAS, RCW 42.30.080 provides that a special meeting may be called by the presiding officer or by
a majority of the members of the governing body upon at least twenty-four hours’ written notice
specifying the time, place, and business to be transacted, and that final disposition may not be taken
on any other matter at the special meeting, and the City Council desires to add the city manager as a
person who may call a special meeting without diminishing the authority conferred by statute; and
WHEREAS, RCW 35A.12.060 provides that a council position shall become vacant if the councilmember
fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the council without being excused by the council,
and the City Council desires that Chapter 2.08 GFMC state that rule clearly and consistently with state
law; and
WHEREAS, RCW 35A.12.120 provides that a majority of the council constitutes a quorum, that at the
desire of any member any question shall be voted upon by roll call with the ayes and nays recorded,
and that the passage of any ordinance, grant or revocation of franchise or license, and any resolution
for the payment of money requires the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the whole membership
of the council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that amending Chapter 2.08 GFMC as set forth in this ordinance will
align the written code with state law, with the council-manager form of government, and with the City
Council’s actual and intended meeting practice, and will expand and clarify the opportunity for the
public to participate in Council meetings; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the amendments adopted by this ordinance are in the best
interests of the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the City of Granite Falls;

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Amendment of Chapter 2.08 GFMC. Chapter 2.08 of the Granite Falls Municipal Code,
entitled "City Council," is hereby amended to read as set forth in Exhibit A, attached to this ordinance
and incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth. Consistent with RCW 35A.12.150, each section
Ordinance No. 1082-2026 · Amending Chapter 2.08 GFMC · Page 2

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of Chapter 2.08 GFMC amended by this ordinance is set forth at full length in Exhibit A. Sections
2.08.010 and 2.08.020 GFMC are not amended by this ordinance and are reproduced in Exhibit A for
the convenience of the reader only.
Section 2. Specific sections amended. The following sections of Chapter 2.08 GFMC are amended by
this ordinance as set forth at full length in Exhibit A: GFMC 2.08.030 (Expenses and compensation);
GFMC 2.08.040 (Eligibility for other city positions); GFMC 2.08.050 (Forms of address); GFMC 2.08.060
(Vacancies; attendance); GFMC 2.08.070 (Meeting rules); GFMC 2.08.080 (Special meetings); GFMC
2.08.090 (Meeting procedures); and GFMC 2.08.100 (Enacted ordinances, resolutions and motions).
Section 3. Findings. The recitals set forth above are hereby adopted as findings of the City Council in
support of this ordinance.
Section 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this ordinance,
or its application to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or
constitutionality of any other section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this ordinance,
or its application to any other person or circumstance, and the remainder of this ordinance shall remain
in full force and effect.
Section 5. Corrections by the city clerk or code reviser. Upon approval of the city attorney, the city
clerk and the code reviser are authorized to make necessary corrections to this ordinance, including
the correction of scrivener’s or clerical errors; references to other local, state, or federal laws, codes,
rules, or regulations; ordinance numbering and section and subsection numbering and lettering; and
any references to those numbers or letters.
Section 6. Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance and prior to its effective
date is hereby ratified and affirmed.
Section 7. Publication by summary. This ordinance, or a summary of this ordinance consisting of its
title, shall be published in the official newspaper of the City as provided by RCW 35A.12.160.
Section 8. Effective date. This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect five (5) days
after its publication as provided by law.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Granite Falls, Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, and
APPROVED by the Mayor of the City this _____ day of ______________, 2026.
CITY OF GRANITE FALLS
____________________________________
Matthew Hartman, Mayor
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
_________________________________
Darla Wilkins, City Clerk
Approved as to form:

Ordinance No. 1082-2026 · Amending Chapter 2.08 GFMC · Page 3

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_________________________________
Emily Guildner, City Attorney
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
PUBLISHED:
EFFECTIVE DATE:

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SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 1082-2026
of the City of Granite Falls, Washington
On the _____ day of ______________, 2026, the City Council of the City of Granite Falls, Washington, passed
Ordinance No. 1082-2026. A summary of the content of said ordinance, consisting of the title, provides as
follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, WASHINGTON, AMENDING
CHAPTER 2.08 GFMC RELATING TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, PROCEDURES, PUBLIC COMMENT,
SPECIAL MEETINGS, VACANCIES, ATTENDANCE, VOTING, EXPENSES, AND RELATED MATTERS;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The full text of this ordinance will be mailed upon request to the City Clerk, City of Granite Falls.
__________________________________________
Darla Wilkins, City Clerk
Date of publication: ____________________

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EXHIBIT A
Chapter 2.08 GFMC - City Council
As amended by Ordinance No. 1082-2026 (amended sections set forth at full length)

2.08.010 Elections - Oath.
The five members of the council shall be elected and each serve a four-year term pursuant to RCW
29A.04.321 and 29A.04.330. Each council member, before entering upon the duties of the office, shall take,
and file with the city clerk, an oath of office.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009)

2.08.020 Duties.
The council shall be the legislative division of the city government and shall perform such duties and have
such powers as may be authorized by statute.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009)

2.08.030 Expenses and compensation.
(A) Expense reimbursement. Council members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the discharge of official duties upon submission of a claim in the form and manner required
by the city’s ordinary claims process and applicable city financial policies. A separate resolution of the
council is not required for each individual claim; claims are approved through the city’s regular voucher
and claims approval process.
(B) Compensation. Compensation of council members shall be in the amount established, and as
thereafter increased or decreased, by the independent salary commission established under Chapter
2.58 GFMC, subject to applicable state law. Compensation is separate and distinct from reimbursement
of actual and necessary expenses under subsection (A) of this section.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1023 § 1, 2022; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.040 Eligibility for other city positions.
An elected or appointed city council member shall not hold the position of police reserve officer or city
employee for the city. In addition, no council member shall hold any other office or position that is
incompatible with the office of council member under state law, and the eligibility of a council member to
hold any other office or position shall be determined in accordance with applicable state law.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.050 Forms of address.
The mayor shall be addressed as "mayor (surname)." Members of the council shall be addressed as "council
member (surname)." These forms of address state the professional norms of the council and are intended to
support an orderly and respectful meeting; they are not intended to create a basis for a point of order or
other procedural objection.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.060 Vacancies; attendance.
(A) Vacancy for nonattendance. Consistent with RCW 35A.12.060, a council position shall become
vacant if the council member fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the council without
being excused by the council. For purposes of this section, "regular meetings" includes regular work
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session meetings held under GFMC 2.08.070(B), because those meetings are regular meetings of the
council under state law.
(B) Council action. The action taken by the council with respect to each absence is the action to excuse,
or to decline to excuse, that absence under GFMC 2.08.070(F). No separate declaration of vacancy is
required for the vacancy to occur. When a vacancy has occurred under subsection (A) of this section, the
city manager or the city clerk shall notify the council, and the clerk shall make an appropriate notation in
the record.
(C) Filling vacancies. Vacancies in the council shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members
of the council in accordance with applicable state law. An appointed council member shall hold office
only until the next general election at which the position may lawfully be filled, at which time a person
shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(D) Mayor pro tempore. The selection, term, and authority of the mayor pro tempore (also referred to
as deputy mayor) are governed by GFMC 2.04.040 and applicable state law, including RCW 35A.12.065
and 35A.12.110, and are not restated in this chapter.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.070 Meeting rules.
(A) Statutory Compliance Required. Meetings of the council shall be conducted in accordance with the
laws of the state as the same are now or hereafter shall be in force.
(B) Time and Place - Legal Holidays. Regular meetings of the council shall be held on the first and third
Wednesdays of each month at the hour of [6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m. - policy choice reserved for Council],
and a regular work session meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at the hour of [6:00 p.m. /
7:00 p.m. - policy choice reserved for Council]. The meetings shall be held at the location stated on the
agenda and public notice for the meeting, and shall be open to the public. Regular meetings may be
adjourned from time to time during the month, as necessity may require, by the majority vote of the
council members present at any such regular meeting. Less than a quorum of the governing body may
also adjourn from time to time, and if all members are absent from any regular or adjourned meeting,
the city clerk may declare the meeting adjourned to a stated time and place and provide notice in
accordance with RCW 42.30.080 and 42.30.090. In the event a regular meeting of the council occurs on a
legal holiday, the council shall hold its regular meeting on the next secular day following the legal
holiday.
(C) Open to the Public. All meetings of the city council shall be open to the public, except as provided for
in RCW 42.30.110 or 42.30.140.
(D) Presiding Officer. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the council. In the council-manager plan of
government under Chapter 35A.13 RCW, the mayor is chosen from among the members of the council,
serves as chair of the council and as the ceremonial head of the city, and has no regular administrative
duties; the city manager is the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of city
government. In case of the mayor’s absence or temporary disability, the mayor pro tempore selected
under GFMC 2.04.040 shall preside. If both the mayor and the mayor pro tempore are absent, the
members present may, by majority vote, select one of their number to preside, and the member so
selected retains the right to vote as a council member. The member presiding is referred to as "presiding
officer" in this chapter.
(1) Preservation of Order. The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, confining council
members to debate the question under discussion.
(2) Powers. The mayor shall:
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(a) Be the official and ceremonial head of the city and shall represent the city on ceremonial
occasions, except that, when illness or other duties prevent the mayor’s attendance, the
mayor pro tempore or other council member or suitable person may be designated by the
mayor to represent the city on such occasion.
(b) Perform such other duties as are assigned to the presiding officer by this chapter and by
state law, and, if and to the extent authorized by ordinance or by state law, serve in the role
provided for the mayor in an emergency or civil emergency.
(E) Quorum. Attendance of a majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum thereof,
consistent with RCW 35A.12.120.
(F) Attendance/Excused Absences. If absence is anticipated, a council member shall contact the
presiding officer, fellow council member, or city clerk prior to the meeting and state the reason for his or
her inability to attend the meeting. Following roll call, the presiding officer, fellow council member, or
city clerk shall inform the council of the member’s absence and state the reason for such absence. If
there is a motion to excuse the member, this motion shall be nondebatable. Upon passage of such
motion by a majority of members present, the absent member shall be considered excused and the clerk
will make an appropriate notation in the minutes. An absence that is not excused by the council is an
unexcused absence for purposes of GFMC 2.08.060. A member permitted to attend remotely under
GFMC 2.08.090(F)(8) is present at the meeting and is not absent for purposes of this subsection or GFMC
2.08.060.
(G) Preparation of Agenda/Council Material. As a guideline for advance preparation of the agenda, the
city clerk, under the direction of the city manager, shall arrange a list of proposed matters according to
the order of business, and prepare and distribute a draft agenda by 5:00 p.m. Friday, at least five days
before the next regular city council meeting. Council members may direct the city manager to add items
to the agenda as long as the request is received by noon Thursday at least six days before the next
regular city council meeting. A copy of the preliminary agenda and supporting materials - including the
city manager’s written report and staff reports - shall be distributed to council members and city
manager and made available to other staff, the media, and city residents in advance of the meeting. At
the city council meeting, the city council may, by majority vote of the council members present, delete
any item from the agenda, or add any item to it, after stating the reasons for the change.
(H) Public Notice of Preliminary Meeting Agendas. The public shall be notified of the preliminary agenda
for forthcoming council meetings by the city clerk posting a copy of the preliminary agenda at city hall,
the post office, and the library by 5:00 p.m. at least two days prior to the scheduled meeting. The
preliminary agenda shall also be posted on the city website. The agenda for a regular work session
meeting should identify the meeting as a work session.
(I) Minutes. The city clerk shall be ex officio clerk of the council and shall keep the minutes and records
as required by state law, of all council proceedings including public hearings, regular meetings, and
special meetings, and perform such other duties in the meeting as may be required by the council or city
manager. The minutes kept shall identify the general discussion of the issue in summary form and
complete detail of the official action or consensus reached, if any, and shall record votes as provided in
GFMC 2.08.090(F).
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 864 § 1, 2014; Ord. 875 § 1, 2014; Ord. 904 § 4, 2015; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.080 Special meetings.
Special meetings of the council may be called by the mayor, by the city manager, or upon the written request
of three council members, consistent with RCW 42.30.080; provided, that:

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(A) Notice of the special meeting shall be prepared in writing by the city clerk. The notice shall specify
the time and location and the business to be transacted of the meeting. Final disposition shall not be
taken on any other matter at the special meeting; and
(B) Notice shall be delivered to each council member, the mayor, and the business office of each local
newspaper, radio and/or television station which has on file a written request for notice of special
meetings. The notice must be delivered at least 24 hours prior to the start of the special meeting. The
notice shall also be posted on the city website and, if applicable, at the physical locations required by
RCW 42.30.080.
(C) The notices provided in this section may be dispensed with or disregarded within the circumstances
provided by RCW 42.30.080, that is:
(1) Any member who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files with the city clerk a
written waiver of notice;
(2) Any member who was actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes; and
(3) In the event a special meeting is called to deal with an emergency involving injury or damage to
persons or property or the likelihood of such injury or damage, when time requirements of such
notice would make notice impractical and increase the likelihood of such injury or damage.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.090 Meeting procedures.
(A) Rules of Order. Rules of order and questions of parliamentary procedure not otherwise specified by
statute, ordinance or resolution shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, current
edition. The city attorney may serve as parliamentarian to the council and may advise the presiding
officer and the council on questions of parliamentary procedure and points of order.
(1) A council member desiring to speak shall address the presiding officer and, upon recognition by
the presiding officer, shall speak to the issues in a civil manner, respecting the viewpoints of others
and avoiding personalities, focusing on the issue at hand, sharing their own motives and reasons for
supporting or not supporting an item for discussion, in a polite and courteous manner towards each
other and the public.
(2) A council member, while speaking, should not be interrupted unless it be to call the council
member to order.
(3) Council members have the right to speak more than once on the same question; provided,
however, that before speaking a second time, all other council members who have not yet spoken
on the question and who desire the floor must be allowed the opportunity first.
(B) Motions. All items of business placed before the council that require the expenditure of council
and/or administration resources shall be in the form of an affirmative motion. Affirmative motions are
preferred to prevent "approval by default" of a failed negative motion.
(C) Order of Business - Regular Meetings - First and Third Wednesdays. The accepted order of business
of all the regular meetings of the council held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month shall be
transacted as shown in the following list; provided, however, that during a council meeting the council
may, by majority vote, rearrange the order of the items on the agenda, or postpone any item, or add any
item to the agenda, to conduct the business before the council more expeditiously or in a manner
desired by the council. This accepted order of business may also be changed periodically from the
format shown as follows:
(1) (a) Call to order.
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(b) Flag salute.
(c) Roll call.
(d) Consent agenda.
(e) City manager’s report.
(f) Staff reports.
(g) Public comment on items not on the agenda.
(h) New business.
(i) Current business.
(j) Mayor’s comments.
(k) Council comments.
(l) City manager’s comments.
(m) Executive session (if requested).
(n) Adjourn.
(2) Public comment on New Business and Current Business items. For each item of business
appearing on the agenda under New Business or Current Business, whether the item is listed for
action or for discussion, and whether or not final action on the item is contemplated at that
meeting, the presiding officer shall invite public comment on that item after the staff presentation
and after council members have had the opportunity to ask questions of staff for clarification, and
before council deliberation, discussion, and any action on the item. Public comment under this
subsection is limited to three minutes per person per item unless the council by majority vote sets a
different limit. Comment on any other matter, including any matter not appearing on the agenda,
shall be made during the public comment portion of the agenda provided for in subsection (C)(1)(g)
of this section. No final action may be taken at a meeting unless the public has been given the
opportunity to comment.
(3) Written testimony. Any person may submit written comment on any matter, whether or not it
appears on the agenda. Written comment is encouraged, and the agenda and public notice should
state how written comment may be submitted. In order to be distributed to the council in advance
of the meeting, written comment must be received by the city clerk no later than 3:00 p.m. on the
day of the meeting or public hearing, as applicable. Written testimony that is accepted shall be
distributed to the members of the council, consistent with RCW 42.30.240. Written comment
received after the deadline shall be distributed to the council as soon as practicable and entered
into the record.
(4) The city council desires to allow a maximum opportunity for public comment. However, the
business of the city must proceed in an orderly, timely manner. At any time, the council, at its sole
discretion, may set such reasonable limits on the time and manner of public comment by majority
vote as are necessary to prevent disruption of other necessary business. Reasonable limits may
include reducing the per-speaker time limit for a particular item or meeting. The presiding officer
may decline to take oral comment only where taking comment would make the orderly conduct of
the meeting infeasible, consistent with RCW 42.30.240.
(5) Subjects Not on the Current Agenda. Any member of the public may request time to address
the council after first stating their name, address or neighborhood (at the option of the speaker),
and the subject of their comments. The presiding officer may then allow the comments subject to
the time limitations set forth in this section. Following such comments, the presiding officer may
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place the matter on a future agenda, or refer the matter to city staff or a council committee for
follow up.
(6) Subjects on the Current Agenda. Any member of the public who wishes to address the council
on an item on the current agenda appearing under New Business or Current Business may do so
when the presiding officer invites comment on that item under subsection (C)(2) of this section.
Comment on any other subject shall be made during the public comment portion of the agenda. As
an option, the presiding officer may invoke a sign-in procedure. The presiding officer may change
the order of speakers so that comment is heard in the most logical groupings.
(7) Comments shall be made from a location and in a manner designated by the presiding officer
that is accessible to the speaker and audible to the council and the public, first giving the speaker’s
name and address or neighborhood (at the option of the speaker). Anyone making "out of order" or
disruptive comments shall be subject to removal from the meeting.
(8) There will be no demonstrations (i.e., clapping or cheering) before, during, or at the conclusion
of anyone’s presentation.
(9) Appeal of a ruling of the chair. Any council member may appeal a ruling of the presiding officer
by moving to appeal the ruling immediately after the ruling is made. The motion requires a second.
The presiding officer may briefly state the basis for the ruling and the appealing member may
briefly state the basis for the appeal; the motion is not otherwise debatable. The question shall be
stated as, "Shall the ruling of the chair be sustained?" The ruling of the chair is sustained unless a
majority of the members present votes to overrule it. The presiding officer or any member may
request the advice of the city attorney, acting as parliamentarian, before the vote is taken.
(10) Adjournment. No meeting shall be permitted to continue beyond 10:30 p.m. without the
approval of a simple majority of council members present and eligible to vote. The council shall be
deemed to have approved an extension of the meeting beyond 10:30 p.m. unless a member
requests a vote to whether to extend or adjourn. A new time limit must be established before
taking a council vote to extend the meeting. The items not acted upon or considered shall be
deferred to the next regular council meeting, as old business, unless the council, by a majority vote
of council members present, determines otherwise.
(11) City Manager, Mayor and Council Member Comments and Concerns. The agenda shall provide
a time when the city manager ("city manager’s comments"), mayor ("mayor’s comments") or any
council member ("council comments") may bring before the council any business that the speaker
feels should be deliberated upon by the council or added to a future agenda, and may share
information of general community interest. These matters need not be specifically listed on the
agenda, but formal action on such matters shall be deferred until a subsequent council meeting,
except that action may be taken where permitted by law and the council determines that
immediate action is appropriate, upon a vote of a majority of all council members present. No time
limit applies to comments under this subsection.
(D) Order of Business - Regular Work Session Meetings - Second Wednesday. The accepted order of
business of all the regular work session meetings of the council held on the second Wednesday of each
month shall be transacted as shown in the following list; provided, however, that during a council
meeting the council may, by majority vote, rearrange the order of the items on the agenda, or postpone
any item, or add any item to the agenda, to conduct the business before the council more expeditiously
or in a manner desired by the council. This accepted order of business may also be changed periodically
from the format shown as follows:
(1) (a) Call to order.
(b) Roll call.
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(c) Discussion topics.
(d) Executive session (if requested).
(e) Adjourn.
(2) Public comment at work session meetings. Regular work session meetings are regular meetings
of the council, although final action is not typically taken at a work session. Public comment is
permitted at regular work session meetings and is limited to the items appearing on the work
session agenda. For each discussion item, the presiding officer shall invite public comment after the
staff presentation and after council members have had the opportunity to ask questions for
clarification, and before council discussion of the item. Comment is limited to three minutes per
person per item unless the council by majority vote sets a different limit, and the reasonable time
and manner limits in subsection (C)(4) of this section apply. Written comment on work session
agenda items is encouraged and shall be distributed to the council as provided in subsection (C)(3)
of this section.
(E) Citizens’ Comments. For meetings which include public comment as an agenda item, time shall be
set aside for the council to hear from the public, subject to subsections (C)(2) through (C)(7) and (D)(2) of
this section.
(1) No member of the public shall be heard until recognized by the presiding officer. Any member
of the public interrupting city council proceedings, approaching the dais without permission,
otherwise creating a disturbance, or failing to abide by these rules of procedure in addressing the
city council, may be charged with disorderly conduct (RCW 9A.84.030, a misdemeanor) and, at the
direction of the presiding officer or the majority of the council, may be removed from council
chambers.
(2) All remarks shall be made to the city council as a body and not to an individual council member
or to the presiding officer.
(3) Each person who addresses the city council shall not make personal, impertinent, slanderous or
profane remarks to any council member, the presiding officer, city staff, or the general public. Any
person who makes such remarks, or who utters loud, threatening, personal or abusive language, or
engages in any other disorderly conduct which disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly
conduct of any city council meeting shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of
the council, be removed from the council chambers and be barred from further audience before
the council during that council meeting.
(4) Warning. The presiding officer shall request that a person who is breaching the rules of
decorum be orderly and silent. If, after receiving a warning or warnings from the presiding officer, a
person persists in disturbing the meeting, the presiding officer or a majority of the council shall
order him or her to leave the council meeting. If such person does not remove himself or herself,
the presiding officer or a majority of the council may order any law enforcement officer to remove
the person from council chambers. Any person who resists removal by the law enforcement officer
may be charged with a violation of this section.
(F) Voting. The votes during all meetings of the council shall be transacted as follows:
(1) Unless otherwise provided for by statute, ordinance, or resolution, all votes shall be taken by
voice, and the presiding officer shall announce the result of each vote, except that at the request of
any council member, a roll call vote shall be taken by the city clerk and the ayes and nays shall be
recorded, consistent with RCW 35A.12.120. The order of the roll call vote shall be determined by
the city clerk.

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(2) Recording of votes. For a voice vote, the minutes shall record the aggregate result announced
by the presiding officer, including a statement that the vote was unanimous where that is the case.
Any council member may request a roll call vote as provided in subsection (F)(1) of this section, in
which case the ayes and nays shall be recorded. If the result of a voice vote is unclear or
ambiguous, or if any member’s vote is not clearly audible, a roll call vote shall be taken if the
presiding officer requests clarification of the vote or any council member requests a roll call, so that
each member’s vote is accurately recorded in the minutes. Individual votes shall be recorded in the
minutes only where a roll call vote has been taken or where the member’s individual vote has
otherwise been clearly stated on the record.
(3) In case of a tie vote on any proposal or question, the proposal or question shall fail.
(4) The passage of any ordinance, grant or revocation of franchise or license, and any resolution for
the payment of money, shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the whole
membership of the council, consistent with RCW 35A.12.120. On a five-member council, this
requires three affirmative votes regardless of the number of members present.
(5) The passage of any public emergency ordinance (an ordinance that takes effect immediately),
such as an ordinance for provisions for emergencies or expenditures necessary for the protection of
the public health, public safety, public property, or public peace, shall require the affirmative vote
of at least a majority plus one of the whole membership of the council. Public emergency
ordinances may not levy taxes; grant, renew or extend a franchise; or authorize the borrowing of
money.
(6) The passage of any motion or resolution shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority
of the council members who are present and eligible to vote, unless otherwise authorized or
required by provisions of Washington State law, the Granite Falls Municipal Code, or this chapter
(see subsection (F)(4) of this section).
(7) A motion or request by a council member (with or without a second) to "call the question" (or
similar words indicating an intent to terminate further debate and take a vote on a pending motion)
allows a vote on the pending motion to immediately take place, unless any council member
requests that the motion to "call the question" be put to a vote, in which case, debate is only
terminated if adopted by a two-thirds vote of the council members present.
(8) Remote Attendance.
(a) Request. A council member who wishes to attend a meeting remotely shall notify the city
clerk in advance of the meeting whenever practicable so that the necessary connection can be
arranged.
(b) Council approval. The council may, by affirmative motion adopted by a majority of the
members present, permit a council member to attend that meeting remotely. Approval
applies to the meeting for which it is granted.
(c) Effect of approval. A council member permitted to attend remotely is counted as present
for purposes of quorum and voting, so long as real-time participation is available throughout
the member’s participation. Real-time participation requires two-way audio, or an equivalent
reliable means of participation, by which the member can hear all that is spoken at the
meeting, all persons at the meeting can hear or otherwise reliably receive the member’s
statements and votes, the member has received the materials for the meeting, and the
member’s vote can be clearly recorded.

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(d) Failure of connection. If real-time participation is lost and cannot promptly be restored,
the presiding officer shall so state on the record, and the member shall be treated as absent
from the remainder of the meeting unless and until participation is restored.
(e) Effect of denial. If the council does not approve remote attendance and the member does
not attend the meeting, the absence is an unexcused absence for purposes of GFMC 2.08.060
unless the council separately votes to excuse the absence under GFMC 2.08.070(F).
(f) Quasi-judicial matters. A council member may participate and vote remotely on a quasijudicial matter only if doing so is consistent with applicable law and the due process rights of
the parties, and only upon the advice and direction of the city attorney.
(g) No annual limit. There is no limit on the number of meetings a council member may attend
remotely under this subsection; the council retains discretion under subsection (F)(8)(b) of this
section to approve or deny each request.
(G) Committees. All special committee members shall be appointed by the city manager with the
approval of the council.
(H) Reading of Minutes. Unless a reading of the minutes of a previous council meeting is requested by a
council member, such minutes may be approved without reading; provided, that the city clerk has
furnished each council member with a written copy of the minutes prior to the present meeting.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 803 § 1, 2010; Ord. 904 § 5, 2015; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

2.08.100 Enacted ordinances, resolutions and motions.
(A) An enacted ordinance is a legislative act prescribing general, uniform, and permanent rules or
regulations relating to the operation and corporate affairs of the municipality. Council action shall be
taken by ordinance when required by law, or where such conduct is enforced by penalty.
(B) An enacted resolution is an administrative act which is a formal statement of policy concerning
matters of special or temporary character. Council action shall be taken by resolution when required by
law and in those instances where an expression of policy more formal than a motion is desired.
(C) An enacted motion is a form of action taken by the council to direct that a specific action be taken
on behalf of the municipality. A motion, once approved and entered into the record, is the equivalent of
a resolution in those instances where a resolution is not required by law, and where such motion is not
in conflict with existing state or federal statutes, city ordinances, resolutions or these rules.
(D) Resolutions. A resolution may be put to its final passage on the same day on which it was
introduced. The title of each resolution shall, in all cases, be read prior to its passage; provided, should a
council member request that the entire resolution or certain of its sections be read, such requests shall
be granted.
(E) Ordinances. The procedures for consideration and adoption of ordinances are as follows:
(1) An ordinance may be put to its final passage on the same day on which it was introduced by
passage of a council member’s motion for first and final reading and adoption of the ordinance.
However, council may invoke two separate readings of the ordinance at separate council meetings
to facilitate public understanding of and/or comment on the ordinance. At each reading, the title of
an ordinance shall, in all cases, be read prior to its passage; provided, that should a council member
request that the entire ordinance or certain of its sections be read, such request shall be granted.
(2) Any ordinance repealing any portion of the Granite Falls Municipal Code shall also repeal the
respective portions of the underlying ordinance(s).

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(F) Reconsideration. Any action of the council shall be subject to a motion to reconsider, including final
action on applications for legislative changes in land use status, but excluding a reconsideration of any
action previously reconsidered. Motions to adjourn, motions to suspend the rules, an affirmative vote to
lay on the table or to take from the table, or a vote electing to office one who is present and does not
decline are not subject to a reconsideration motion. Reconsideration can be requested only by motion of
a member of the prevailing side of the original motion. A motion to reconsider must be made at the next
regular city council meeting for action to be reconsidered. A motion to reconsider is debatable only if the
action being reconsidered is debatable. Upon passage of a motion to reconsider, the subject matter is
returned to the table anew for any action the council deems advisable.
(Ord. 776 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1082-2026 § __, 2026)

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CITY OF
GRANITE FALLS
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

GFMC Chapter 2.08
Public Hearing · Regular Meeting · Wednesday, August 19, 2026

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PURPOSE

Objectives
Council reviewed the draft of Chapter 2.08 at the August 12, 2026 work session. Tonight, Council holds the
noticed public hearing, takes oral and written testimony - including on the bracketed start-time options and then considers adoption of Ordinance No. 1082-2026.

What has changed

What tonight is for

What comes next

The July 1 direction is now drafted code
language, reviewed section by section at the
August 12 work session and set out at full
length.

Take public testimony on the proposed
amendments and resolve the choices that
remain.

If adopted, Ordinance No. 1082-2026 is
published by summary and takes effect five
days after publication.

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PROCESS

Schedule
JUL 1

AUG 12

AUG 19

AFTER

Council direction

Work session review

Public hearing

Adoption and publication

Section-by-section discussion with
the city manager and city attorney.
Non-binding direction given on each
theme.

Council reviewed the draft section by
section and narrowed the choices
still bracketed.

Noticed public hearing on the
proposed amendments, including
both start-time options.

If adopted, the ordinance is
published by summary and takes
effect five days after publication.

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JULY 1 DIRECTION

What Council directed - and the revised Code 2.08
Public comment

Written testimony

Group spokesperson

Workshop comment

Invite comment on New Business and
Current Business items after the staff report
and Council questions - action or discussion.

Add it to code with a 3:00 p.m. deadline;
distribute to Council.

Remove it. Keep reasonable time and
manner limits instead.

Allow comment limited to work session
agenda items; encourage written comment.

Order of business

Special meetings

Vacancies

Comment time limits

City manager report early with staff reports;
keep all three comment items at the end.

Add the city manager as a caller; keep
mayor and three-member authority.

Three consecutive unexcused absences,
work sessions included; Council excuses or
declines.

Strike the 5- and 15-minute limits; keep the
process.

Start time

Voting and minutes

Remote attendance

Expenses

Carry both 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to the
public hearing.

Voice vote, aggregate result; roll call on any
member’s request.

Replace telephonic; remove the annual cap;
approved remote members count for
quorum.

Split compensation from reimbursement;
drop the $100 figure.

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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

History of our current chapter 2.08
Chapter 2.08 GFMC was built up over six ordinances.
Ordinance

Year

What it did to Chapter 2.08

Impacts

Ord. 776-09

2009

Repealed Ords. 307 and 506; repealed and replaced Chapter 2.08 GFMC with a new "City Council" chapter.
2.08.030 was titled "Compensation": $100/month plus expenses approved by resolution.

Source of the group-spokesperson rule, the 10:30 p.m. rule, silence-asaffirmative, and telephonic attendance.

Ord. 803-10

2010

Amended 2.08.090(C), the order of business, to receive staff reports earlier in regular meetings.

Precedent for moving the city manager report up with staff reports.

Ord. 864-2014

2014

Amended 2.08.070(B): first and third Mondays at 7:30 p.m., workshop the second Monday.

Council has changed the meeting day and time before, by ordinance.

Ord. 875-2014

2014

Amended 2.08.070(B) again: first and third Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., work session the second
Wednesday.

Source of today’s schedule and of the fixed City Hall address in the code.

Ord. 904-2015

2015

Adopted after voters approved the council-manager plan. Amended many sections, including 2.08.070 and
2.08.090, substituting "city manager" for "mayor" / "city administrator."

Removed the mayor’s executive-head language but left mayor-council
residue elsewhere in the chapter.

Ord. 1023-2022

2022

Amended 2.08.030, retitled it "Expenses," and added Chapter 2.58 GFMC (salary commission) - while
keeping the $100/month sentence.

Why one section now mixes compensation and expenses, and why an
outdated figure remains.

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FRAMING

Legal guardrails vs. Council policy choices
Some of what follows is fixed by state law. The rest is Council’s to decide. Knowing which is which keeps tonight efficient.

F IXED B Y STATE L AW

CO U N CI L P O L I CY D I S CR ETI O N

• Public-comment opportunity at or before every regular meeting where final
action is taken; written testimony that is accepted must be distributed to
Council (RCW 42.30.240).

• Whether and when to invite comment on each agenda item beyond the legal
minimum - including at work sessions.

• Special meetings: presiding officer or a majority may call; 24-hour notice
specifying time, place, and business; final disposition limited to the noticed
business (RCW 42.30.080).
• Council-manager form: the city manager is chief executive and administrative
head; the mayor chairs, presides, and is ceremonial head (Ch. 35A.13 RCW).
• Three consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings create a vacancy
(RCW 35A.12.060).

• Meeting start time and how the location is described.
• Order of business; comment categories and time limits.
• How votes are recorded in the minutes, within the roll-call right in RCW
35A.12.120.
• Remote-attendance policy within Open Public Meetings Act limits.
• Adding the city manager as a person who may call a special meeting - an
addition to, not a subtraction from, the statute.

• Majority is a quorum; any member may demand a roll call with ayes and nays
recorded; ordinances, franchises, and payment resolutions need a majority of
the whole membership (RCW 35A.12.120).

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CHANGE 1 · GFMC 2.08.090(C)(2)-(4), (6)

Public comment on New and Current Business items
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• Comment on items not on the agenda is taken after the
speaker states name, address, and subject.
• Comment on agenda items is permitted, but only on request
during the item discussion, and the presiding officer rules on
appropriateness item by item.
• A single-subject group must designate a spokesperson limited
to five minutes and file a list of constituents.

•

For each New Business and Current Business item - action or discussion alike - the
presiding officer invites public comment after the staff presentation and after Council
questions of staff, and before Council deliberation and action.

•

Three minutes per person per item, unless Council sets a different limit by majority
vote.

•

Written comment is expressly allowed on any matter and is due by 3:00 p.m. on the
day of the meeting for distribution to Council, consistent with RCW 42.30.240.

•

The group-spokesperson rule is deleted in full - the city attorney advised it is hard to
administer live and invites litigation risk.

•

Comments on any other subject, including non-agenda items, are taken during the
Public Comments portion of the agenda. Reasonable time and manner limits are
retained.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•
•

Written testimony is due at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Confirm the sequence: staff report → Council questions → public comment → Council discussion.

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CHANGE 2 · GFMC 2.08.090(D)(2)

Public comment at work session meetings
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• The code states flatly that no public comment shall be taken or
permitted at any point during the regular work session
meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month.
• Practice has differed from the written rule.

•

The absolute prohibition is removed. Public comment is permitted at work sessions,
limited to items on the work session agenda.

•

Same sequence as a regular meeting: staff presentation, Council clarifying questions,
then comment, then Council discussion.

•

Three minutes per person per item, with the same reasonable limits available.

•

Written comment on work session items is encouraged and distributed to Council.

•

Work sessions are regular meetings under state law, even though final action is not
typical.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•

Confirmed: comment is limited to work session agenda items only - not general comment - and written comment is encouraged in the same provision.

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CHANGE 3 · GFMC 2.08.070(D), (G); .080; .090(C)(1)

Council-manager roles, order of business, special meetings
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• The order of business lists staff reports early, then mayor,
council, and city manager comments near the end.
• GFMC 2.08.070(D) still carries mayor-council residue from
before the 2015 transition.
• Special meetings may be called by the mayor or on the written
request of three councilmembers.

•

A city manager’s report is added early, with the staff reports; the written report goes
out with the packet.

•

Mayor, Council, and city manager comments all stay at the end of the agenda - Council
was clear on this.

•

GFMC 2.08.070(D) states the council-manager structure: the mayor chairs, presides,
and is ceremonial head; the city manager is chief executive and administrative head.

•

If both the mayor and mayor pro tempore are absent, the members present may
select a member to preside, who keeps the right to vote.

•

GFMC 2.08.080 adds the city manager as a person who may call a special meeting,
keeping mayor and three-member authority, and adds website posting and the limit
on final disposition.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•

Confirmed: the three comment items stay at the end and the city manager is added as a special-meeting caller.

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CHANGE 4 · GFMC 2.08.060

Vacancies, attendance, and mayor pro tempore
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• The section says that if a member is absent from three
consecutive meetings without permission, "the office shall be
declared vacant by the council" - which reads as both
automatic and requiring Council action.
• Mayor pro tempore rules appear both here and in GFMC
2.04.040.

•

States the RCW 35A.12.060 rule directly: the position becomes vacant on three
consecutive regular meetings missed without being excused.

•

Confirms that regular work sessions count, because they are regularly scheduled and
therefore regular meetings.

•

Makes clear the Council’s operative action is to excuse or decline to excuse an absence
- no separate declaration of vacancy is needed.

•

The city manager or city clerk notifies Council when a vacancy has occurred.

•

Mayor pro tempore rules are cross-referenced to GFMC 2.04.040 and state law rather
than restated.

•

A member approved to attend remotely is present, not absent.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•

Confirmed: regular work sessions count toward the three consecutive meetings, and mayor pro tempore rules are cross-referenced rather than duplicated.

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CHANGE 5 · GFMC 2.08.070(B); .090(C)(7)

Meeting logistics: start time, location, accessibility
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• Regular meetings are on the first and third Wednesdays at
7:00 p.m., with a work session the second Wednesday at 7:00
p.m., in the council chambers of City Hall, 206 S. Granite Ave.
• Public comment must be made from the microphone at the
lectern, and no comment may be made from any other
location.

•

The start time is carried in brackets as [6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m. / Other] for both regular
meetings and work sessions, so the public can comment on both at the August 19
hearing.

•

The location is described as stated on the agenda and public notice, rather than a
fixed street address - allowing the library, a community center, or another accessible
venue.

•

The lectern requirement is replaced: comment is made from a location and in a
manner designated by the presiding officer that is accessible to the speaker and
audible to Council and the public.

•

The work session agenda should identify the meeting as a work session.

F OR C OUNC IL DE C IS ION T ONIG H T

•

Select the start time: [6:00 p.m.] or [7:00 p.m.]. Council directed that both go to the public hearing; one must be chosen before adoption.

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CHANGE 6 · GFMC 2.08.090(C)(9), (11)

Appeals of the chair and comment time limits
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• Any ruling by the presiding officer "may be overruled by a vote
of a majority of members present," with no process stated.
• The 10:30 p.m. meeting-end provision stands as currently
codified - no change is proposed.
• Mayor comments are capped at five minutes, Council
comments at fifteen, city manager comments at five.

•

A clear appeal procedure: a member moves to appeal immediately, the motion needs
a second, brief statements are allowed, and the question is "Shall the ruling of the
chair be sustained?" The ruling stands unless a majority of members present overrules
it.

•

The city attorney may serve as parliamentarian and advise the chair and Council
before the vote.

•

GFMC 2.08.090(C)(10) is not amended - the existing 10:30 p.m. meeting-end language
is retained without change.

•

The five- and fifteen-minute comment limits are struck; the process stays.

•

Comments may include business for a future agenda and information of general
community interest, with final action deferred unless permitted by law and immediate
action is appropriate.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•

Confirmed: the 10:30 p.m. provision is left unchanged and is not part of this amendment.

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CHANGE 7 · GFMC 2.08.090(F)(1)-(4)

Voting and how votes are recorded
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• Votes are by voice unless "the mayor or any council member"
requests a roll call.
• Silence during a voice vote is counted and recorded as an
affirmative vote.
• Minutes have shown individual votes as though a roll call were
taken, even when none was.

•

Voice vote remains the default, and the presiding officer announces the result of
every vote - including stating when it is unanimous.

•

The minutes record the aggregate result of a voice vote.

•

Any member may request a roll call, and the ayes and nays are then recorded - the
right guaranteed by RCW 35A.12.120.

•

A dissenting vote alone does not trigger a roll call. A roll call is taken if a member
requests one, or if a vote is unclear or inaudible and the chair asks for clarification.

•

The silence-as-affirmative rule is deleted, and "presiding officer" replaces "mayor"
where appropriate.

•

The draft states that ordinances, franchises, and payment resolutions need three
affirmative votes on a five-member council, regardless of attendance.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•

Confirmed: the automatic roll call on a dissenting vote is removed; the member-request right and roll call for clarity remain.

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CHANGE 8 · GFMC 2.08.090(F)(8)

Remote attendance replaces telephonic attendance
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

• A councilmember may attend by telephone once per calendar
year.
• Telephonic attendance does not count toward a quorum.
• The member must notify the clerk three working days ahead
and must have received all materials.
• The current code speaks only to telephone attendance and
predates two-way remote participation.

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

•

"Telephonic" is replaced with "remote," and the once-per-calendar-year cap is
removed.

•

The member requests remote attendance in advance when practicable; Council
permits it for that meeting by affirmative motion.

•

If approved, the member counts as present for quorum and voting, so long as realtime participation is available - two-way audio or an equivalent reliable means,
materials received, and the vote clearly recordable.

•

If real-time participation is lost and cannot be restored, the chair states it on the
record and the member is treated as absent for the remainder.

•

If remote attendance is not approved and the member does not attend, the absence is
unexcused unless Council separately excuses it.

•

Quasi-judicial matters: a single standard - remote participation only if consistent with
applicable law, due process, and the advice and direction of the city attorney.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

•
•

One conservative quasi-judicial standard: law, due process, and city attorney direction.
Confirm the motion-to-permit mechanism as the safeguard against abuse.

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CHANGE 9 · GFMC 2.08.030, .040, .050, .100

Expenses, compensation, eligibility, forms of address
WHAT THE CODE SAYS TODAY

WHAT THE REVISED CODE 2.08 DOES

• GFMC 2.08.030 combines expense reimbursement "by
resolution of the council" with a statement that compensation
is $100.00 per month until changed by the salary commission a structure left over from Ord. 776-09 and Ord. 1023-2022.
• GFMC 2.08.040 bars service as a city employee or police
reserve officer.
• GFMC 2.08.050 sets forms of address.
• GFMC 2.08.100(E)(1) begins a sentence with a lowercase
"however."

•

GFMC 2.08.030 is split: subsection (A) covers reimbursement of actual and necessary
expenses through the ordinary claims process, with no resolution required for each
claim; subsection (B) refers compensation to the Chapter 2.58 GFMC salary
commission.

•

The $100.00 per month figure is removed from the code.

•

GFMC 2.08.040 keeps the city-employee and reserve-officer prohibition and adds
alignment with state law on incompatible offices.

•

GFMC 2.08.050 is kept, framed as professional norms rather than a basis for a point of
order.

•

GFMC 2.08.100(E)(1): "however" corrected to "However." No other change.

•

GFMC 2.08.020 (Duties) and 2.08.010 (Elections - Oath): no change.

C ONF IR M E D A T T H E A UG US T 1 2 W OR K S E S S ION

Confirmed: removal of the $100 figure and the referral of compensation to the Chapter 2.58 salary commission,

subject to city attorney confirmation.

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DECISION CHECKLIST

One choice to resolve tonight; two items settled
Everything else follows July 1 direction and the August 12 review. Only the start time remains open; the other items below were settled on August 12.

1

Regular meeting start time

[6:00 p.m.] or [7:00 p.m.]

A majority favored 6:00 p.m. on July 1; one member described real conflicts. Both
are before the public tonight; one must be chosen before adoption. Applies to work
sessions as well.

2

Written-testimony deadline

3:00 p.m. day of meeting - set

Set at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Late submissions are still distributed and
entered into the record.

3

Remote attendance - quasi-judicial

Attorney-advice rule - set

A single conservative standard: remote participation only if consistent with law, due
process, and city attorney direction.

No change proposed: the committees subsection (GFMC 2.08.090(G)) and the 10:30 p.m. meeting-end provision are not amended - no Council action is needed on
either tonight.

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APPENDIX

Draft summary by section (1 of 2)

Section

Current code

As redlined

2.08.010

Elections - Oath. Five members, four-year terms, oath filed with the clerk.

No change.

2.08.020

Duties. Council is the legislative division of city government.

No change. Role clarity is handled in 2.08.070(D).

2.08.030

Expenses. Reimbursement by resolution; compensation $100.00 per month
until changed by the salary commission.

Retitled "Expenses and compensation." Split into (A) reimbursement through the
ordinary claims process and (B) compensation set by the Chapter 2.58 salary
commission. $100 figure removed.

2.08.040

Eligibility. No council member may be a police reserve officer or city employee.

Prohibition retained; alignment with state law on incompatible offices added.

2.08.050

Forms of address. "Mayor (surname)" and "council member (surname)."

Retained, framed as professional norms rather than a basis for a point of order.

2.08.060

Vacancies. Three consecutive absences without permission: the office "shall be
declared vacant by the council."

Rewritten as (A) vacancy under RCW 35A.12.060 including work sessions, (B)
Council excuses or declines and staff notifies, (C) filling vacancies, (D) mayor pro
tempore cross-reference.

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APPENDIX

Redline summary by section (2 of 2)

Section

Current code

As redlined

2.08.070

Meeting rules. 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays at City Hall, 206 S. Granite Ave.;
presiding officer; quorum; absences; agenda; notice; minutes.

Start time bracketed [6:00 / 7:00 p.m.]; location by agenda and notice; councilmanager role language; presiding order if mayor and pro tem absent; unexcused
absences tied to 2.08.060; city manager report added to the packet.

2.08.080

Special meetings. Called by the mayor or three council members; 24-hour
notice; waiver and emergency.

City manager added as a caller; website posting added; final disposition limited to
the noticed business.

2.08.090

Meeting procedures. Order of business; comment rules; group spokesperson;
lectern; 10:30 p.m.; voting; telephonic attendance; committees.

Comment on New Business and Current Business items; written testimony added
with a 3:00 p.m. deadline; group spokesperson deleted; work session comment
allowed; lectern replaced; appeal of the chair added; 10:30 p.m. unchanged;
voting and vote recording rewritten; remote attendance replaces telephonic;
committees unchanged.

2.08.100

Enacted ordinances, resolutions and motions. Subsection (E)(1) begins a
sentence with a lowercase "however."

Corrected to "However." No other change.

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 128-2026 Consideration to
Approve an Interlocal Agreement with
Snohomish County for Surface Water
Management Billing Services for the term
January 1, 2027, through December 31,
2036

Originating Dept.: City Council
Approval(s):

Action Recommended: Authorize the City
Manager to execute the Interlocal
Agreement with Snohomish County for
Surface Water Management Billing
Services for the term January 1, 2027
through December 31, 2036.
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/9/2026
Exhibit(s):
1.
20260724GraniteFalls_ILA20262037(aatf)2
Budgeted Amount: NA
BARS Code: NA
Summary Statement:
The proposed Interlocal Agreement, entered into under Chapter 39.34 RCW, continues
the long-standing arrangement under which Snohomish County bills and collects the
City’s storm and surface water management service charges. The service charges are
imposed on real property within the City under Chapter 13.20 of the Granite Falls
Municipal Code (GFMC), and the County places them on its combined annual property
tax and surface water billing statement as a single line item.
The Agreement replaces and supersedes the January 1, 2017 interlocal agreement
between the City and the County, which has been renewed on an annual basis through
calendar year 2026. If the new Agreement becomes effective, the 2017 agreement

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terminates immediately and is of no further force or effect. The new term is January 1,
2027 through December 31, 2036, ten years, replacing the current practice of annual
renewals.
Under the Agreement the County acts as the City’s independent contractor. The City
continues to set its own rates, and the City reimburses the County for the County’s
actual reasonable costs of performing the billing and collection services through an
Annual Service Fee.
Background:
The City has contracted with Snohomish County for surface water management billing
services since January 1, 2017. Billing the City’s service charges on the County’s
combined property tax statement uses systems, staffing and workflows the County
already maintains for this purpose, and avoids the need for the City to operate a
separate parcel-based billing system. The County and City now wish to replace the
annually renewed 2017 agreement with a single ten-year agreement.
• Term: January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2036
• County responsibilities: maintain the customer information systems; provide the
City an annual extract of customer information (the “membership”) for use in
setting the coming year’s charges; bill and collect the service charges on the
combined property tax and surface water billing statement as a single line item;
deposit collections in a separate account and remit them to the City; report
accounts three full years delinquent by the end of each year; and respond to
ratepayer inquiries about processes within the County’s control.
• City responsibilities: maintain the legislation authorizing the County to collect the
charges and to act as the City’s agent; deliver the updated membership file to the
County on or before December 1 each year showing the billing amount for the
subsequent tax year; provide a City representative able to respond to the County
within 24 hours during the tax statement process in the first two weeks of
January; bill and collect service charges for public rights-of-way, federal real
property, and real property without a Snohomish County tax parcel number;
respond to ratepayer inquiries within the City’s control; and pay the Annual
Service Fee.
• Exemptions: real property owned by low-income senior citizens or disabled
persons is exempt from the service charges where approved by the County
Assessor, for as long as the County provides such exemptions.
• Remittance schedule: the County delivers collected service charges (without
accrued interest) to the City by May 31 for January through April; by August 31
for May through July; by November 30 for August through October; and by
January 31 of the following year for November and December.
• Annual Service Fee: the City reimburses the County for all reasonable costs and
expenses of billing and collection. The County delivers a written non-binding
estimate for the following calendar year on or before June 30; the City may
respond within 30 days identifying errors, omissions or needed corrections. The

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County submits its invoice for the preceding calendar year on or before June 30,
and the City pays within 30 days. The City may raise invoice concerns in writing
within 10 days; the County must provide supporting documentation or correct the
invoice and explain deviations from the estimate, after which the City has 30
days to pay the revised invoice.
• Delinquent accounts: the County reports accounts three full years delinquent by
the end of each year. Within 60 days the City authorizes removal of those
accounts from the tax rolls and the cessation of County collection efforts, after
which the City is responsible for actions against those accounts. The County
retains any interest or penalties it collected before removal. Collection of current
charges occurs through the County’s property tax billing and foreclosure
processes.
• Termination: either party may terminate for any reason or no reason on 90 days’
advance written notice. The County continues performing through the termination
date and the City compensates the County for services performed through that
date.
Recommended Motion:
Move to authorize the City Manager to execute the Interlocal Agreement with
Snohomish County for Surface Water Management Billing Services for the term January
1, 2027 through December 31, 2036.

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INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT BILLING
SERVICES
This INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT
BILLING SERVICES (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this ______ day of
, 2026, by and between the CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, a
Washington municipal corporation (the “City”), and SNOHOMISH COUNTY, a political
subdivision of the State of Washington (the “County”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City recognizes the need for comprehensive surface water
management to preserve and protect the environment, public and private property and the
health and welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the City represents that it has adopted the necessary legislation
authorizing the City to enter into this Agreement and to establish a surface water management
program and service charge; and
WHEREAS, the County has systems, staffing and workflows in place for billing
surface water management service charges on annual tax statements which can be used for
another jurisdiction’s billing when an interlocal agreement is entered into for that purpose; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 39.34 RCW, the Interlocal Cooperation Act, authorizes public
agencies, including cities and counties, to enter into cooperative agreements with one another
to make the most efficient use of their respective resources; and
WHEREAS, the City and the County are the parties to that certain Interlocal Agreement
between Snohomish County and the City of Granite Falls, dated January 1, 2017, and published
on the Snohomish County Interlocal Agreement website (the “2017 ILA”), which has been
renewed on an annual basis through calendar year 2026; and
WHEREAS, the City now desires to have the County continue to perform surface water
management billing services for the City, and the County agrees to perform said services, all
under the terms and conditions described in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the City and the County intend that this Agreement shall replace and
supersede the 2017 ILA. Accordingly, if and when this Agreement becomes effective, the 2017
ILA shall immediately terminate and be of no further force or effect;
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreement set forth below and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the City and the County agree as follows:

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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1.

PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION
1.1

Purpose of Agreement

This Agreement is authorized by and entered into pursuant to the Interlocal
Cooperation Act, Chapter 39.34 RCW. The purpose and intent of this Agreement is for the
County to perform surface water management billing and collection services for properties
located within the incorporated limits of the City and within the County. The Agreement
establishes a means whereby the County can act as the City’s independent contractor in
performing the services. The City shall cooperate with the County to the extent reasonably
necessary for accomplishing the services and shall reimburse the County for the County’s costs
incurred in performing the services, as more fully described in Section 4 below. The parties
agree that no separate legal or administrative entities are necessary to carry out this Agreement.
Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, any real or personal property
used or acquired by either party in connection with the performance of this Agreement will
remain the sole property of such party, and the other party shall have no interest therein.
1.2

Administrators

Each party to this Agreement shall designate an individual (an “Administrator”), which
may be designated by title or position, to oversee and administer such party’s participation in
this Agreement. The parties’ initial Administrators shall be the following individuals:
City’s Initial Administrator:

County’s Initial Administrator:

Jeff Ballentine
City Manager
City of Granite Falls
215 S. Granite Ave
Granite Falls, WA 98252
Office: (360) 691-6441
Cell: (425) 647-9815
Fax: (360) 691-6734
Email:
[email protected]

Alison Fernandez
Snohomish County
Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources SWM
3000 Rockefeller Avenue M/S 303
Everett, Washington 98201
Telephone: (425) 312-0621
Facsimile: (425) 388-6455
Email: [email protected]

Either party may change its Administrator at any time by delivering physical or electronic
written notice of such party’s new Administrator to the other party.
1.3

Condition Precedent to Effectiveness

As provided by RCW 39.34.040, this Agreement shall not take effect unless and until it
has been: (i) duly executed by both parties; and (ii) either filed with the County Auditor or
posted on the County’s Interlocal Agreements website.

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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2.

TERM

This Agreement shall govern services provided from January 1, 2027 (the
“Commencement Date”) through December 31, 2036 (the “Expiration Date”); PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the County’s obligations after December 31, 2026, are contingent upon local
legislative appropriation of the necessary funds for this specific purpose in accordance with
the Snohomish County Charter and applicable law. The term of the Agreement shall be the
period between the Commencement Date and the Expiration date (the “Term”).
3.

SERVICE CHARGE BILLING AND COLLECTIONS SERVICES
3.1

Service Charges

Chapter 13.20 of the Granite Falls Municipal Code (“GFMC”) imposes on real property
located within the City certain service charges (the “Service Charges”) to fund the City’s storm
and surface water management utility. Each calendar year during the Term of this Agreement,
the City shall have the option to instruct the County to handle for the City billing and collection
of the Service Charges, as more fully described in this Section 3. The City shall at all times
remain responsible for establishing rates for the Service Charges.
3.2

County Responsibilities

(i)

The County will maintain customer information systems as necessary to
provide for Service Charges billing and collection. Annually, the County shall
provide an extract of the customer information from these systems
(membership) and provide the information to the City for the City’s use in
setting charges for the coming year. The membership will include only data
native to County systems including the current year charge and shall be
inclusive of all parcels for the coming tax year. The membership shall include
one instance of the parcel number for each type of charge levied by the City.

(ii)

The County shall collect Service Charges from real property owners within the
incorporated limits of the City and lying within Snohomish County using a
combined property tax and surface water billing statement in accordance with
the charges provided by the City based upon the assigned category and property
characteristics adopted in the GFMC, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if approved
by the County Assessor, real property owned by low income senior citizens or
disabled persons, shall be exempt from Service Charges as long as the County
provides such exemptions. The County shall not bill or collect Service Charges
for public rights-of-way, federal real property, and real property without a
Snohomish County tax parcel number.

(iii)

The County shall deposit the Service Charges received into a separate account
and will disburse the Service Charges to the City, less any accrued interest, in
accordance with Section 3.4 of this Agreement. The County shall not be

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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responsible to the City for any Service Charges not received by the County for
any reason whatsoever.
(iv)

The County, through its Surface Water Management Division, shall provide the
City with information about accounts three full years delinquent (the
“Delinquent Accounts”) by the end of each year.

(v)

The County shall respond to ratepayer inquiries regarding processes within the
County’s control and refer to the City all other customer service inquiries
related to billing and revenue collection for City property owners.

(vi)

The County may provide other incidental services that are reasonably related
to the billing and collection of the Service Charges as requested by the City and
determined appropriate by the County.

3.3

City Responsibilities

(i)

For each calendar year during the Term of this Agreement, the City shall ensure
it has provided legal authority for this Agreement by enacting legislation which:
(a)
Authorizes the County to collect Service Charges from owners of real
property located in the City; and
(b)
Permits the County to act as the City’s agent for collecting the Service
Charges and providing related services.

(ii)

On or before December 1 of each calendar year during the Term of this
Agreement, the City shall provide to the County the membership file updated
to reflect the billing amount for the subsequent tax year to be billed for each
property. The City shall exempt properties owned by low-income senior
citizens or disabled persons from Service Charges, if approved by the County
Assessor for a property tax exemption, as long as the County provides such
exemptions. The City further agrees that if a senior citizen/disabled person
exemption is cancelled after the date of mailing of the combined property tax
and surface water billing statement, the change in exemption status will not go
into effect until the following year. The city will ensure that there is a city
representative capable of responding to the county within twenty-four (24)
hours regarding questions about charges on properties during the tax statement
process that occurs during the first two weeks of January.

(iii)

The City shall respond to ratepayer inquiries regarding service charges and
processes within the City’s control, including actions against Delinquent
Accounts.

(iv)

Upon receiving information from the County about the Delinquent Accounts as
provided in section 3.2(iv) above, the City shall, within sixty (60) days, furnish
the County with a written authorization to remove the Delinquent Accounts
from the tax rolls and to cease collection efforts. Thereafter, the City shall be

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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responsible for all actions against Delinquent Accounts. The County shall retain
any interest or penalties collected by the County prior to removing the
Delinquent Accounts from the tax rolls.
(v)

The City shall be responsible for billing and collecting Service Charges for
public rights-of-way, federal real property, and real property without a
Snohomish County tax parcel number.

(vi)

For each calendar year during the Term of this Agreement, the City shall pay to
the County an Annual Service Fee as defined in Section 4 below.

3.4

Delivery of Service Charges

In any calendar year for which the County collects Service Charges for the City, the
County shall deliver to the City the Service Charges it collects, without any accrued interest,
according to the following schedule, or such other schedule as the parties may agree upon:

4.

(i)

By May 31, the County shall deliver to the City all Service Charges
collected for the months of January, February, March and April.

(ii)

By August 31, the County shall deliver to the City all Service
Charges collected for the months of May, June and July.

(iii)

By November 30, the County shall deliver to the City all Service
Charges collected for the months of August, September and
October.

(iv)

By January 31 of the following calendar year, the County shall
deliver to the City all Service Charges collected for the months of
November and December.

COMPENSATION
4.1

County Estimate of Annual Service Fee

The City shall reimburse the County for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by
the County related to the billing and collection of Service Charges (the “Annual Service Fee”)
under this Agreement. On or before June 30 of each calendar year during the Term of this
Agreement, the County shall deliver to the City a written non-binding estimate (the “Estimate”)
of the Annual Service Fee for the following calendar year. The Estimate shall describe in
reasonable detail the amount of time anticipated to be spent by the County on services and the
cost of any material or equipment expected to be used by the County in performing its
obligations under this Agreement.

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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4.2

City Response to the County Estimate

The City may respond to the Estimate within thirty (30) days by delivering written
notice to the County identifying any errors or omissions contained in, or other corrections
needed to, the Estimate.
4.3

Invoicing and Payment

On or before June 30 of each calendar year during the Term of this Agreement, the
County shall submit an invoice for the Annual Service Fee to the City. The invoice shall
describe in reasonable detail the amount of time spent by the County on services and the cost
of any material or equipment used by the County in performing said services for the preceding
calendar year. The City shall pay the invoice within thirty (30) days of receiving same. The
invoice shall be sent to the following address:
Attn: Jeff Balentine
City of Granite Falls
PO Box 1440
Granite Falls, WA 98252
4.4

Invoice Dispute and Remedy

The City shall respond in writing to the County within ten (10) days of receiving the
County invoice advising the County of any errors or omissions contained in, or other
corrections needed to, the invoice. The County shall respond to each City concern with
sufficient documentation to support the charge or adjust the invoice if it is in error. The County
shall provide explanation where charges deviate from the estimate. When the City and County
have agreed that charges listed in the invoice or adjusted charges accurately represent the true
cost of reimbursement, the City shall have thirty (30) days to pay the revised invoice.
4.5

Combined Property Tax and Surface Water Billing Statement

The County’s combined property tax and surface water billing statements (the “Tax
Statement”) contains all taxes and charges levied or otherwise imposed on a subject parcel by
all taxing jurisdictions within a tax code area. The County will include all surface water
management charges in a single line item.
5.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

All work performed by the County pursuant to this Agreement shall be performed by
the County as an independent contractor and not as an agent or employee of the City. The
County shall furnish, employ, and have exclusive control of all persons to be engaged in
performing the County’s obligations under this Agreement (collectively, the “County
Personnel”) and shall prescribe and control the means and methods of performing such
obligations by providing adequate and proper supervision. The County Personnel shall for all
purposes be solely the employees or agents of the County and shall not be deemed to be
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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employees or agents of the City for any purpose whatsoever. With respect to the County
Personnel, the County shall be solely responsible for compliance with all rules, laws, and
regulations relating to employment of labor, hours of labor, working conditions, payment of
wages and payment of taxes, such as employment, Social Security, and other payroll taxes
including applicable contributions from the County Personnel when required by law.
6.

TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE

This Agreement may be terminated by either party for any reason or for no reason, by
giving ninety (90) days advance written notice of termination to the other party. Any
termination notice delivered pursuant to this Section 6 shall specify the date on which the
Agreement will terminate. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 6, the
County shall continue performing services through the date of termination. The City shall
compensate the County for all services performed by the County through the date of
termination. The City’s obligation to make such final payment to the County shall survive the
termination of this Agreement.
7.

COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

The City and the County shall at all times exercise their rights and perform their
respective obligations under this Agreement in full compliance with all applicable laws,
ordinances, rules and regulations of any public authority having jurisdiction.
8.

INDEMNIFICATION

Each party shall defend, protect and hold harmless and indemnify the other party from
and against all claims, suits or actions arising from any intentional or negligent act or omission
of that party’s employees, agents and/or authorized subcontractor(s) while performing under
the terms of this Agreement.
9.
LIABILITY RELATED TO CITY ORDINANCES, POLICIES, RULES AND
REGULATIONS
In executing this Agreement, the County does not assume liability or responsibility for
or in any way release the City from any liability or responsibility which arises in whole or in
part from the existence or effect of City ordinances, policies, rules or regulations. If any cause,
claim, suit, action or administrative proceeding is commenced in which the enforceability
and/or validity of any such City ordinance, policy, rule or regulation is at issue, the City shall
defend the same at its sole expense and, if judgment is entered or damages are awarded against
the City, the County, or both, the City shall satisfy the same, including all chargeable costs and
reasonable attorney’s fees
10.

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

If either party to this Agreement fails to perform any act or obligation required to be
performed by it hereunder, the party to whom such performance was due shall deliver written
notice of such failure to the non-performing party. The non-performing party shall have
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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thirty (30) days after its receipt of such notice in which to correct its failure to perform the act
or obligation at issue, after which time it shall be in default (“Default”) under this Agreement;
provided, however, that if the non-performance is of a type that could not reasonably be cured
within said thirty (30) day period, then the non-performing party shall not be in Default if it
commences cure within said thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently pursues cure to
completion. In the event of a party’s Default under this Agreement, then after giving notice
and an opportunity to cure, the party to whom the performance was due shall have the right to
exercise any or all rights and remedies available to it at law or in equity.
11.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE LAWS

The City and the County each acknowledges, agrees and understands that the other
party is a public agency subject to certain disclosure laws, including, but not limited to
Washington’s Public Records Act, chapter 42.56 RCW. Each party understands that records
related to this Agreement and the County’s performance of services under this Agreement may
be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Public Records Act or other similar law. Neither the
City nor the County anticipates that the performance of either party’s obligations under this
Agreement will involve any confidential or proprietary information.
12.

NOTICES

Each notice, demand, request, consent, approval, disapproval, designation or other
communication that is required to be given by one party to the other party under this Agreement
shall be in writing and shall be given or made or communicated by (i) United States registered
or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, (ii) any nationally recognized
overnight carrier or express mail service (such as FedEx or DHL) that provides receipts to
indicate delivery, (iii) by personal delivery, (iv) by facsimile (with proof of successful
transmission), or (v) by any other electronic communication medium that provides
confirmation of receipt. All such communications shall be addressed to the appropriate
Administrator of this Agreement, as that term is defined in Section 1.2 above. All notices shall
be deemed given on the day each such notice is personally delivered, transmitted by facsimile
(with evidence of receipt), or delivered by overnight courier service, or on the third business
day following the day such notice is mailed if mailed in accordance with this Section.
13.

MISCELLANEOUS
13.1

Entire Agreement

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding the
subject matter hereof, and supersedes any and all prior oral or written agreements between the
parties regarding the subject matter contained herein. This Agreement may not be modified or
amended in any manner except by written agreement executed by both parties.
13.2

Interpretation

This Agreement shall be governed by and enforced in accordance with the laws of the
State of Washington. This Agreement and each of the terms and provisions of it are deemed to
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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have been explicitly negotiated by the parties, and the language in all parts of this Agreement
shall, in all cases, be construed according to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against
either of the parties hereto. The captions and headings in this Agreement are used only for
convenience and are not intended to affect the interpretation of the provisions of this
Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed so that wherever applicable the use of the
singular number shall include the plural number, and vice versa, and the use of any gender
shall be applicable to all genders.
13.3

Severability

If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance shall, for any reason and to any extent, be found invalid or unenforceable, the
remainder of this Agreement and the application of that provision to other persons or
circumstances shall not be affected thereby, but shall instead continue in full force and effect,
to the extent permitted by law.
13.4

No Waiver

A party’s forbearance or delay in exercising any right or remedy with respect to a
Default by the other party under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of the Default at
issue. Nor shall a waiver by a party of any particular Default constitute a waiver of any other
Default or any similar future Default.
13.5

Assignment

This Agreement shall not be assigned, either in whole or in part, by either of the parties
hereto. Any attempt to assign this Agreement in violation of the preceding sentence shall be
null and void and shall constitute a Default under this Agreement.
13.6

Warranty of Authority

Each of the signatories hereto warrants and represents that he or she is competent and
authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the party for whom he or she purports to
sign this Agreement.
13.7

No Joint Venture

Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as creating any type or manner
of partnership, joint venture or other joint enterprise between the parties.
13.8

No Third Party Beneficiaries

This Agreement is made and entered into for the sole benefit of the City and the County.
No third party shall be deemed to have any rights under this Agreement; there are no thirdparty beneficiaries to this Agreement.

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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13.9

Execution in Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and the County have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.
THE CITY:

THE COUNTY:

City of Granite Falls, a Washington
municipal corporation

Snohomish County, a political subdivision of
the State of Washington

By

By

Name:
Title:

Name:
Title:

Approved as to Form:

Approved as to Form:

City Attorney

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT BILLING SERVICES

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 129-2026 Consideration to
Originating Dept.: City Council
Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Interlocal
Agreement with Snohomish County
Approval(s):
concerning Building/Construction/Fire Plan
Review and Code Inspection Services,
extending the term through December 31,
2028 and adopting a new fee schedule for
2027 and 2028
Action Recommended: Authorize the City
Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to
the Interlocal Agreement with Snohomish
County for building, construction, and fire
plan review and code inspection services,
extending the term through December 31,
2028.
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted: 8/9/2026
Exhibit(s):
1.
Granite Falls Inspections ILA Amend.
No. 1- 07.28.26
2.
ILA - FireConst Plan Review 2022 2026
Budgeted Amount: NA
BARS Code: NA
Summary Statement:
The City and Snohomish County are parties to the “Interlocal Agreement Between the
City of Granite Falls and Snohomish County Concerning Provision of
Building/Construction/Fire Plan Review and Code Inspection Services,” executed on
April 13, 2022 (the “Original Agreement”). Under that agreement, the County’s
Department of Planning and Development Services provides the City with building,

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construction and fire plan review and code inspection services on an as-requested,
hourly basis.
Amendment No. 1 extends the term of the Original Agreement by two years, to a new
expiration date of December 31, 2028; and it adopts a new fee schedule setting hourly
rates for calendar years 2027 and 2028. Except as modified by the Amendment, all
other terms of the Original Agreement remain in force and effect and are ratified and
affirmed.
Background:
Since 2022 the City has relied on Snohomish County Planning and Development
Services for fire life safety inspections and fire plan review, and for construction
inspections associated with permitting. The arrangement gives the City access to
certified inspectors and plan reviewers without maintaining that capacity in-house, and
the City is charged only for the hours of service it requests.
Section 9 of the Original Agreement authorizes the Director of the County’s Department
of Planning and Development Services to execute an amendment of this kind. Section 1
of the Amendment extends the term specified in Section 8 of the Original Agreement by
two years, establishing a new expiration date of December 31, 2028. Section 2 adopts
the new fee schedule set out below. Section 3 ratifies the remainder of the Original
Agreement, and Section 4 permits execution in counterparts.
Current 2026 Hourly Rate: $145.00 (new rate = +45%)
Hourly rates:
• Fire inspections (fire life safety) and fire plan review: $210 (2027 hourly rate)
$220 (2028 hourly rate)
• Building inspections (construction inspections for permitting): $162 (2027
hourly rate) $170 (2028 hourly rate)
Recommended Motion:
Move to authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Interlocal
Agreement with Snohomish County for building, construction, and fire plan review and
code inspection services, extending the term through December 31, 2028.

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AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY
CONCERNING BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION/FIRE PLAN REVIEW
AND CODE INSPECTION SERVICES
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY
OF GRANITE FALLS AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY CONCERNING
BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION/FIRE PLAN REVIEW AND CODE INSPECTION SERVICES (this
“Amendment”) is made and entered into as of this __ day of ________, 20__, by and between
Snohomish County, a political subdivision of the State of Washington (the "County"), and the
City of Granite Falls, a Washington municipal corporation (the “City").
RECITALS
A.
The County and City are parties to the “Interlocal Agreement Between the City of Granite
Falls and Snohomish County Concerning Provision of Building/Construction/Fire Plan Review
and Code Inspection Services” executed on April 13, 2022 (the “Original Agreement”).
B.
Pursuant to Section 9 of the Original Agreement, the Director of the County’s
Department of Planning and Development Services has authority to execute an amendment to
the Original Agreement to the extent and under the circumstances more fully described herein.
C.
The County and City now desire to amend the Original Agreement to extend the Term of
the Original Agreement through December 31, 2028, to allow the County to continue to provide
Building/Construction/Fire Plan Review and Code Inspection Services to the City.
D.
The County and City now desire to amend the Original Agreement to adopt a new fee
schedule that provides annual rates for 2027 and 2028, the term extended by this Amendment.

AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the respective agreements set forth below and
for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the City and the County agree as follows:
Section 1. EXTENSION OF TERM
The County and City agree that the Term specified in Section 8 of the Original Agreement shall
be extended by two years. The new Expiration Date of the Agreement is December 31, 2028.
Section 2. ADOPTION OF NEW FEE SCHEDULE
The County and City agree to adopt a new fee schedule as provided herein:

AMENDMENT NO.1 TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS
AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY CONCERNING BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION/FIRE
PLAN REVIEW AND CODE INSPECTION SERVICES - 1

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FEE SCHEDULE/HOURLY RATES INCLUDED IN CONTRACT FOR:
FIRE INSPECTIONS (FIRE LIFE SAFETY) AND FIRE PLAN REVIEW

2027
$210

2028
$220

BUILDING INSPECTIONS (CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS FOR PERMITTING)

2027
$162

2028
$170

Section 3. RATIFICATION
Except as modified by this Amendment, the Original Agreement shall remain in force and effect
in accordance with its terms and is hereby ratified and affirmed.
Section 4. EXECUTION IN COUNTERPARTS
This Amendment may be executed in counter parts, each of which shall be an original and all of
which shall constitute one and the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the County and City have executed this Amendment as of the day
and year first written above.
CITY OF GRANITE FALLS

SNOHOMISH COUNTY

By:

By: _

Name: Jeff Balentine

Name: Darren Groth

Title: City Manager

Title: Interim Director, Department of
Planning and Development Services

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

AMENDMENT NO.1 TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS
AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY CONCERNING BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION/FIRE
PLAN REVIEW AND CODE INSPECTION SERVICES - 2

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL

Subject: AB 052-2026 Consideration to
Originating Dept.: City Council
Approve Resolution No. 2026-11 Adoption
of the City of Granite Falls Hazard
Approval(s): City Manager
Mitigation Plan Annex
Consultant City Attorney
Action Recommended: Approve
Resolution No. 2026-11 - Adoption of the
City of Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan
Annex
Meeting Date: August 19, 2026
Date Submitted:
Exhibit(s):
1.
Resolution 2026-11
2.
FINAL Granite Falls HMP
Budgeted Amount: N/A
BARS Code: N/A
Summary Statement:
The City has partnered Livable City Year (LCY) of UW to collaborate on preparation of
the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex. UW students worked to develop an Initial
Conditions Report (ICR), which was presented to Council earlier this year. From the
ICR, staff and UW students developed the City's HMP in collaboration with Snohomish
County DEM. The Draft HMP meets all the standards of compliance required by FEMA
and has been reviewed and approved by Snohomish County. Adoption of the City's
annex by resolution is the final step in the planning process and completes the City's
participation in the countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan update.
Background:
The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires local governments to maintain and
adopt a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) to remain eligible for federal
hazard mitigation grant funding. Snohomish County, in coordination with participating

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cities, towns, tribes, and special purpose districts, completed the 2025 update to the
Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The County's base plan was approved by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and adopted by the Snohomish
County Council on July 1, 2026. Participating jurisdictions are required to adopt their
own jurisdictional annexes, which identify local hazards, community assets,
vulnerabilities, existing capabilities, and mitigation strategies specific to their community.
Adoption of the annex satisfies FEMA's local adoption requirement, supports
coordinated regional mitigation planning, and preserves eligibility for federal hazard
mitigation assistance programs.
The City has partnered Livable City Year (LCY) of UW to collaborate on preparation of
the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex. UW students worked to develop an Initial
Conditions Report (ICR), which was presented to Council earlier this year. From the
ICR, staff and UW students developed the City's HMP in collaboration with Snohomish
County DEM. The Draft HMP meets all of the standards of compliance required by
FEMA and has been reviewed and approved by Snohomish County.
Recommended Motion:
1) I move to approve Resolution No. 2026-11, adopting the City of Granite Falls Hazard
Mitigation Plan Annex.

Page 127 of 194

CITY OF GRANITE FALLS
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-11
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS, WASHINGTON,
ADOPTING THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN (HMP) ANNEX IN
COORDINATION WITH SNOHOMISH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
WHEREAS, the City of Granite Falls, Washington, is vulnerable to natural hazards—
including flood risks from the S llaguamish and Pilchuck rivers, severe storms, and earthquakes—
that pose risks to human life, public health, and property; and
WHEREAS, Snohomish County, through the Department of Emergency Management, has
developed a countywide Hazard Mi ga on Plan that iden fies hazards and mi ga on strategies
affec ng the region; and
WHEREAS, the City of Granite Falls has partnered with Snohomish County Department of
Emergency Management to develop a City-specific Hazard Mi ga on Plan Annex (the “HMP
Annex”)that iden fies local risks, vulnerabili es, and mi ga on ac ons; and
WHEREAS, proac ve mi ga on of known hazards before a disaster event can reduce or
eliminate long-term risk and prevent costly disaster recovery efforts; and
WHEREAS, the Disaster Mi ga on Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) and 44 CFR §201.6
require local governments to formally adopt a hazard mi ga on plan to remain eligible for preand post-disaster grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and
WHEREAS, the City of Granite Falls has ac vely par cipated as a planning partner with
Snohomish County and a coali on of local ci es to assess regional risks and develop effec ve
hazard mi ga on strategies;

NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRANITE FALLS WASHINGTON,
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Sec%on 1. The City of Granite Falls hereby adopts the Snohomish County Mul Jurisdic onal Hazard Mi ga on Plan, including the city-specific jurisdic onal HMP Annex, in its
en rety. Copies shall be on file with the Community Development Director of the City.
Sec%on 2. The City of Granite Falls will use the adopted por ons of the plan to guide preand post-disaster mi ga on of iden fied hazards, coordina ng these strategies with the city's 20Year Comprehensive Plan and emergency management ini a ves.

Page 128 of 194

Sec%on 3. The City will con nue to par cipate in the planning coali on and coordinate
local mi ga on ac vi es with the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management.
Sec%on 4. The City Council authorizes appropriate city staff to execute any necessary
documenta on and submit this resolu on to the Washington Military Department Emergency
Management Division and FEMA Region 10 to finalize formal plan approval.
Sec%on 5. This resolu on shall take effect and be in full force from and aBer its passage
and approval.
PASSED by the City Council this

day of August, 2026.

APPROVED by the Mayor this

day of August, 2026.

_____________________________
MaDhew Hartman, Mayor

ADest:

Darla Wilkins, MMC, City Clerk

Approved as to form:

Thomas H. Graafstra, City ADorney
Emily Guildner, City ADorney

Page 129 of 194

The City of Granite Falls
Hazard Mitigation Plan 2026

City of Granite Falls

HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

Page 130 of 194

June 2026
Prepared for:
City of Granite Falls
215 S. Granite Avenue
Granite Falls, WA 98252
Prepared by:

University of Washington students in the Master’s of Urban Design and Planning
program: Alejandro De La Cerda, Alicia McAfee, Audrey Sei, Brianne Chitwood, Caleb
Osborne, Caroline Webster, Emily Waldoch, Hannah Groenke, Jane Marie Gunn, Joelle
Dlugozima, Seeun Pyo, Trenton Blair, Zoe Love
Prepared with:
University of Washington instructors: Saeideh Sobhaninia and Robert Freitag
Acknowledge:

UW’s Livable City Year

1
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Table of Contents

......................................... 0
.................................................................................................................................................. 0
The City of Granite Falls .......................................................................................................... 0
Hazard Mitigation Plan 2026 .................................................................................................... 0
Table of Contents....................................................................................................................... 2
Granite Falls Plan Annex ........................................................................................................... 4
8.1 Hazard Mitigation Points of Contact .................................................................................. 4
8.2 Granite Falls Profile .......................................................................................................... 4
Population and Employment ............................................................................................... 5
Development Trends ........................................................................................................... 5
Geography and Climate ...................................................................................................... 6
Governance ........................................................................................................................ 8
8.3 Granite Falls Risk Summary ............................................................................................. 9
Hazard Risk and Vulnerability ................................................................................................12
8.4 Plan Update Process .......................................................................................................24
Subject Matter Experts .......................................................................................................25
Public Outreach .................................................................................................................28
8.5 Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Program .........................................................................30
Hazard Mitigation Authorities, Responsibilities, and Capabilities ........................................30
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) .........................................................................32
Plan Monitoring, Implementation, and Future Updates .......................................................32
Continued Public Participation ...........................................................................................33
8.6 Hazard Mitigation Strategies ............................................................................................33
GF-01 Priority Facilities List ...............................................................................................36

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GF-02 Transportation Resilience Improvements ................................................................39
GF-03 Alternative Energy Development .............................................................................41
GF-04 Community Center Programs ..................................................................................44
GF-05 Hazard Awareness ..................................................................................................45
GF-06 Hazard Alert System Expansion..............................................................................48
GF-07 Potable Water Supply Planning ...............................................................................50
GF-08 Community Preparedness Workshops ....................................................................53
GF-09 Sustainability and Planning Standards ....................................................................55
GF-10 Hazardous Tree Removal Program .........................................................................56
GF-11 Urban Greening ......................................................................................................59
GF-12 Reduce the Effect of Mass Earth Movement ...........................................................61
Appendices ................................................................................................................................ 1
Appendix 1: Full HMP Online Survey ...................................................................................... 1

3
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Granite Falls Plan Annex
The Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) Annex is a jurisdiction-specific
supplement to the Snohomish County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan,
developed in compliance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and maintained to
ensure the City's continued eligibility for federal Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant
programs. This annex identifies the natural and human-caused hazards posing the
greatest risk to Granite Fall's residents, property, and critical infrastructure; assesses
the City's unique vulnerability within the broader county risk landscape; and establishes
locally tailored mitigation measures and prioritized actions to reduce long-term risk and
strengthen community resilience. The plan was developed through an inclusive public
engagement process and reflects coordination among City departments, partner
agencies, and the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management. Upon
adoption by the Granite Falls City Council, approval by FEMA, and adoption of the base
plan, this annex will remain in effect for five years, during which designated City staff will
track implementation progress, pursue mitigation funding opportunities, and coordinate
with the County on plan maintenance and the next update cycle.

8.1 Hazard Mitigation Points of Contact
Primary Point of Contact
Jeff Balentine
City Manager
215 S. Granite Avenue
Granite Falls, WA 98252
Phone: (360) 691-6441
Email: [email protected]

Secondary Point of Contact
Amy Hess, AICP
Planning Director
215 S. Granite Avenue
Granite Falls, WA 98252
Phone: (360) 691-6441 ext. 1001
Email: [email protected]

8.2 Granite Falls Profile
This section provides background and a profile on the City of Granite Falls. It includes
the following sections: Population and Employment, Development Trends, Geography
and Climate, and Governance.
Granite Falls is located between the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish Rivers in the western
foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range. The city covers 2.21 square miles and lies
near the center of Snohomish County, northeast of Everett, Lake Stevens, and
Marysville. The surrounding area includes notable natural features such as the Granite
Falls on the South Fork Stillaguamish River, the Mountain Loop Highway, and nearby
access to Mount Pilchuck State Park and the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. These
areas are characterized by forested terrain, river valleys, and steep mountain slopes,
which contribute to the region's scenic value and potential natural hazards. According to
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the 2024 Snohomish County Growth Monitoring Report, Granite Falls has a population
of 4,768 residents.
Historically, the current Granite Falls was the site of former Native American fishing
grounds. The city of Granite Falls was incorporated in 1903, when lumber was the
predominant industry. It later became a railroad station on the route between Monte
Cristo (now a ghost town) and Everett. The city’s first timber mill was opened by 1891,
and a dozen mills were operating by 1906. Now, Granite Falls is largely a residential
community whose occupants commute to other parts of Snohomish and King Counties.
Granite Falls has multiple roads and connection points. Highway 92 leads to Highway 9,
Jordan Road connects to Arlington, and Highway 530. The city is also the southern
entrance of the Mountain Loop Highway.
Major utility providers include Snohomish County PUD, which provides both power and
drinking water to the City; Puget Sound Energy, which provides natural gas; and the
City, which provides sanitary sewer. The City has completed upgrading the wastewater
treatment plant, which processes wastewater for City residents and public infrastructure.

Population and Employment
According to the 2024 Snohomish County Growth Monitoring Report, Granite Falls has
a population of 4,768 residents. Additional demographic information below:
● The median age is 36.6 years.
● 24.4% of residents are under age 18; 13.4% are age 65 or older.
● The population is 53.9% female and 46.1% male.
● Racial composition:
o 64.1% White alone;
o 15.6% Asian alone;
o 6.4% Hispanic or Latino;
o 1.9% American Indian or Alaskan Native alone.
● Among residents aged 25 and over, 91.8% have completed high school or
higher, and 25.5% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
● 69.5% of residents aged 16 and over participate in the civilian labor force; many
residents commute outside the city for work.

Development Trends
Granite Falls has transitioned from a historically resource-based community to a
primarily residential city with strong regional commuting ties. Citywide residential
patterns remain predominantly low-density and single-family, with limited multifamily

5
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housing concentrated near the downtown core and newer development occurring
toward the city’s edges. The City anticipates an increase in single-family residence
permitting, driven by recent submittals and approvals of new subdivisions and housing
developments. As Granite Falls is expected to continue growing through 2044,
maintaining infrastructure capacity, access to services, and coordinated land use
planning will be important, particularly where residential expansion intersects with
environmental constraints and transportation corridors that are critical during hazard
events.
Granite Falls' economy is based on gravel and subassembly manufacturing, light and
heavy industrial manufacturing, and retail that serves residents and tourists traveling
along the Mountain Loop Recreation Area. According to the 2022 Census Data, 2,001
residents commute outside of Granite Falls for work, 818 commute to Granite Falls for
employment, and 121 are employed and live in Granite Falls. Iron Mountain Quarry, one
of the largest businesses in Granite Falls, employs approximately 60 employees. A
majority of the Quarry resides just outside of the city limits, but the soil remediation/
asphalt plant facility is located on a parcel within the city. Public administration and
accommodation and food services make up a substantial portion of the city’s
employment base, supported by institutions such as the Granite Falls School District
and local government. These sectors provide stable jobs and play a key role in
sustaining the community.
The largest annual event in Granite Falls is the October Railroad Days, which can bring
upwards of 2,500 people per year. A seasonal Farmers Market provides locals with a
venue to sell and shop for local goods and brings in visitors. The annual Christmas Tree
lighting festival reinforces the City’s investment in community and commitment to its
residents. The Annual Show ‘N Shine car show in August also attracts an everincreasing number of visitors, helping to support local businesses.

Geography and Climate
Granite Falls enjoys a temperate four-season climate, with average low and high
temperatures of 33°F and 77°F, respectively1. The average annual rainfall is 44.3
inches. The average annual snowfall accumulation is 16.7 inches. The hottest months in
Granite Falls are July and August, with the coolest temperatures between November
and February. Wind speed in Granite Falls is generally calm to light, with annual ranges
between 3 and 7 mph. The windiest conditions occur from mid-October to early April,
with average wind speeds exceeding 3.7 miles per hour; the calmest month of the year
1

Weather Spark, “Average Weather in Granite Falls, Washington, water impacts from decreasing
snowpack, leading to, United States, Year-Round,” accessed May 15, 2026, Weather Spark.

6
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is August, with average wind speeds of 2.6 miles per hour.2 Wind direction varies
throughout the year, occurring most often from the east between November and
February.
The city sits at around 400 feet above sea level and is located in the foothills of the
Cascade Range. Granite Falls is split into two watershed boundaries, the Stillaguamish
Watershed on the north side and the Snohomish Watershed on the south side. The
unincorporated Urban Growth Area boundaries fall within these two watersheds. The
topography of Granite Falls contains very significant variations in elevation, with a
maximum elevation gain of about 960 feet.3 The lowest-lying areas are to the north and
south of the city, along the rivers, in the floodplains.
Climate change is set to have serious consequences on the Pacific Northwest,
specifically impacting the water, ecosystems, forests, oceans, and coasts, and humans.
The region is already seeing water impacts from decreasing snowpack, leading to shifts
in water availability. Rain patterns are also set to change, with increased rainfall in Fall,
Winter, and Spring and decreased amounts in the summer. The forests of the Pacific
Northwest are expected to experience the impacts of climate change through
disturbances such as drought, wildfire, and disease. Additionally, as the temperatures
rise in the region, the climate will no longer be suitable for some tree species. This could
cause large issues within the ecosystem. Forests are not the only habitats or species
affected by climate change. With rising temperatures, ecosystems across the region will
be affected. Coasts and oceans are examples of other ecosystems that will be
impacted. The northwest region is projected to see an increase in the frequency and
intensity of extreme precipitation events. The region is already experiencing sea level
rise, but ocean acidification and warming are also threatening the wildlife, infrastructure,
and communities along the coasts. And lastly, all of these consequences are predicted
to have serious impacts on human health with increased risk of diseases, illness, injury,
malnutrition, and death.4
Granite Falls is expected to experience increased severity and frequency of extreme
heat, storms, flooding, and wildfires, along with reduced snowpack.5 Snohomish County
2

Weather Spark, “Average Weather in Granite Falls, Washington, United States, Year-Round,” accessed
May 27, 2026, Weather Spark .
3
“Granite Falls Topographic Map,” Topographic-Map.com, accessed May 27, 2026, https://enus.topographic-map.com/map-k17h57/Granite-Falls/?popup=48.08837%2C-121.95512
4
University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. (n.d). Climate Impacts.
https://cig.uw.edu/learn/climate-impacts/
5
Snohomish County. (2023). SnoCo Climate Change Fact Sheet.
https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/106917/SnoCo-Climate-ChangeVulnerability-Risk-Assessment-Public-Outreach-Meetings

7
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predicts that by 2050, there will be between 8 and 20 more days of extreme heat per
year, and the snowpack is expected to decrease by 45%.6 The storms will be more
frequent and stronger, leading to more flooding from increased rainfall. With the
increase in wildfires, air quality may worsen due to smoke.7

Governance
Granite Falls is a non-charter code city, governed by a strong council-manager system
of government, with five elected city council members for four-year terms. Council
members serve as the voice of the Granite Falls residents. A ceremonial mayor is
selected for the council to manage the council meetings. The Council will assume
responsibility for adopting this plan.
Judicial services for the City of Granite Falls are provided by Snohomish County.
Consequently, municipal court functions, including prosecution, court administration,
and related judicial services, are managed through the county’s judicial system, which
encompasses both District and Superior Courts. This collaborative arrangement
enables Granite Falls to focus its resources on essential city services while leveraging
the county’s established legal and judicial infrastructure.
Daily operations are overseen by the City Manager, who is appointed by the council.
City services include a clerk’s office, finance office, planning/development services, and
public works. These departments provide services directly to the community. Police
services are contracted through the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Granite Falls
Fire District #17 serves as the local fire and emergency medical services

6

University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. (2026). Climate Mapping for a Resilient Washington.
https://data.cig.uw.edu/climatemapping/
7
Snohomish County. (n.d.). Communitywide Climate Resiliency Plan.
https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/6604/Communitywide-Climate-ResiliencyPlan?utm_source=chatgpt.com

8
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8.3 Granite Falls Risk Summary
This section describes 13 hazard risks (identified by the Snohomish County HMP) and
how they would affect Granite Falls if they were to occur. This section includes previous
hazard events, hazard risks and vulnerabilities, and assets at risk.
Table 8.1 lists the hazard event history for Granite Falls. No direct assistance was
needed for Granite Falls in the last 15 years. Below are hazards that have affected
Snohomish County and Granite Falls.
Table 8.1: Granite Falls Previous Hazard Events
Type of Event
*Denotes declared disasters in
Snohomish County

*Severe Storms,
Straight-line Winds,
Flooding, Landslides,
Mudslides

Severe Rain,
Flooding, Landslides

FEMA
Disaster
Number
EM-3629-WA

No FEMA
disaster
declaration
identified

Date of
Casualties/
Hazard
Preliminary
Declaration Damage
Assessment
12/12/2025 No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

Flooding
reported
on
12/5/2023;
local
emergency
proclaimed
12/6/2023

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

Research/Justification

High water levels at the fish
ladder were reported by King 5
News
Landslide on mountain loop
highway cleared by
Snohomish County DEM: Link
to FB post
Flooding and damage to
homes near the Stillaguamish
river reported by Fox 13 News
Flooding reported by King 5
News and Fox 13
HWY 530 shut down, reported
by the Herald Net
Marten Creek Slide Repair |
Snohomish County, WA Official Website “Snohomish
County Road Maintenance
completed an emergency slide
repair on Mountain Loop
Highway east of Granite Falls
at milepost 20.6 following
severe rain and flooding

9
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*Severe Winter
Storm, Straight-line
Winds, Flooding,
Landslides,
Mudslides
*Bolt Creek Fire

DR-4682-WA

1/12/2023,
Incident
period Nov
3 - 8, 2022

FM-5455-WA

9/10/2022

*Severe Winter
Storm: Straight-line
Winds, Flooding,
Landslides,
Mudslides

DR-4593-WA

*Severe Storms,
Flooding, Landslides,
Mudslides

DR-4539-WA

*Covid-19 Pandemic

DR-4481-WA

4/8/2021,
Incident
Period:
December
29, 2020 –
January
16, 2021
4/23/2020,
Incident
Period:
Jan. 20,
2020 Feb. 10,
2020
3/22/2020

*Severe Winter
Storms, Straight-line
Winds, Flooding,
Landslides,
Mudslides, Tornado

DR-4418-WA

*Severe Storms,
Straight-line Winds,
Flooding, Landslides,
Mudslides

DR-4249-WA

3/4/2019,
Incident
Period:
Dec. 10,
2018 Dec. 24,
2018
1/15/2016

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

events in November and
December 2023.”
Could not find evidence of
impacts in Granite Falls

Air quality impacts (?)

Could not find evidence of
impacts in Granite Falls

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

Flooding and high river levels,
reported by Live Storms Media

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

Extreme regional and
economic impacts

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls

Could not find evidence of
impacts in Granite Falls

Dec 9, 2015 event: “The
Stillaguamish River was also
running high through Granite
Falls.” Reported by King 5

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*Severe Windstorm

DR-4242-WA

10/15/2015

Oso Landslide

EM-3370-WA

3/24/2014

*Severe Winter
Storm, Flooding,
Landslides,
Mudslides

DR-4056-WA

3/5/2012

Severe Winter Storm

N/A

2/2011

*Severe Winter
Storm, Record and
Near-Record Snow

1825-DR-WA

3/2/2009

Wind Storm
Earthquake
(Nisqually)
Earthquake (Duvall)

N/A
DR-1361-WA

3/2003
3/1/2001

N/A

5/1996

Severe Storms/Flood

DR-1100-WA

2/9/1996

Flood

1079-DR

12/1995

No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
No
Assistance
was
requested by
Granite Falls
$250,000
Minor
damage
Damage to
private
businesses
No significant
damage
No significant
damage

Seems to have affected
people outside of GF along the
Mountain Loop Highway
(Forest Road 4037), reported
by Kiro 7
In Granite Falls, one family
had at least seven trees fall on
top of their house.” Reported
by King 5 News
Caused regional impacts due
to Darrington residents having
to route through the Mountain
Loop Highway
Previous HMP

Previous HMP

Previous HMP

Previous HMP
Previous HMP
Previous HMP

Previous HMP
Previous HMP

11
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Hazard Risk and Vulnerability
Table 8.2 discusses the specific hazard risk and vulnerability summary for Granite Falls.
The table discusses the hazard risks, vulnerabilities, and impact summary of each
hazard, and the probability of that hazard occurring. The vulnerability and impact
assessment for each risk follows the Snohomish County guidance on vulnerability:
1. Minimum Impact:
a. Shutdown of critical facilities for less than 24 hours
b. No/minor injuries
c. Less than 10% of property severely damaged
d. Impact on the environment would not require remediation.
2. Low Impact:
a. Complete shutdown of critical facilities for one week
b. Some injuries
c. More than 10% of property severely damaged
d. Impact on the environment would be minimal and only require a local
response.
3. Medium Impact:
a. Complete shutdown of critical facilities for two weeks
b. Multiple severe injuries
c. More than 25% of property severely damaged
d. Localized and temporary Impacts to the environment as a result of the
event and/or cascading effects. No immediate health threat to people, and
environmental remediation would restore the environment to acceptable
limits.
4. High Impact:
a. Complete shutdown of critical facilities for 30 days or more
b. Multiple deaths
c. More than 50% of property severely damaged
d. Catastrophic impacts to the environment as a result of the event and/or
cascading effects. Environmental impacts would have immediate and
long-term health effects on people. Significant resources required for
remediation.
The probability assessment for each risk follows the Snohomish County guidance on
probability and includes a discussion of climate change impacts:
5. Unlikely: <1% probability in the next 100 years. No emergency declarations are
likely.

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6. Possible: Between 1 to 10% probability in the next year, or at least 1 in the next
100 years. Very few emergency declarations have occurred.
7. Likely: Between 10 and 100% probability in the next year, or at least one chance
in 10 years. Some emergency declarations have occurred.
8. Highly Likely: Near 100% probability in the next year. Many emergency
declarations have occurred.

13
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Table 8.2: Granite Falls Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Summary.
Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Earthquake
& Tsunami

Earthquakes pose a high risk due to their high potential impact
and Granite Falls’ vulnerability to isolation. The entire area is
expected to experience MMI 7 (very strong) shaking from a
Southern Whidbey earthquake scenario (a shallow Magnitude 7.4
earthquake).8 This will cause “considerable damage in poorly built
or badly designed structures.”9 Older buildings are especially
susceptible to damage; “The majority of the buildings in the City's
downtown commercial district (70%+) are constructed of older
brick masonry and historic building materials with no seismic
retrofitting.10 Additionally, earthquakes pose a threat to gas,
electrical, and sewer infrastructure. There is a moderate risk of
liquefaction, higher along the Stillaguamish and Pilchuck rivers.
Earthquakes can also have a high impact on transportation into
and out of the city, causing isolation. Earthquakes could disrupt
bus service and block transportation routes, complicating
movement into and out of the city. Bridge 102 is functionally
obsolete and could be severely damaged in an earthquake,
blocking access to and from the Mountain Loop Highway. The
major risk during earthquakes is isolation. Due to Granite Falls'
isolated geographic location and reliance on essential services
from cities such as Everett, it is defined as a ‘population island’,
“where mobility outside of the immediate area may be significantly
limited, or impossible”. This makes Granite Falls at risk of being
cut off from receiving emergency services and water supply from
Everett, which can have direct impacts on essential needs and
medical services in the case of a hazard. Additionally, isolation
has the potential to block necessary food and supplies, as well as
access to residents’ jobs and families who live outside the
immediate area, placing vulnerable populations that rely on these
services and communications at increased risk.
Granite Falls is not located within the Tsunami inundation zone but
may experience consequences from regional impacts.
Wildfires pose a high risk to Granite Falls due to the medium
potential impact, exacerbated by its vulnerability to isolation and
climate change. Wildfires are influenced by drought, limited
snowpack, and local weather conditions, with 85% of wildfires
being human-caused, and about 52% were negligently or

Wildfire

Probability of Future
Occurrence
Likely - same
probability as the
County.
It is unknown if climate
change affects the
probability of
earthquake events.
Climate change
impacts on
earthquake probability
are unknown;
however, secondary
impacts could be
magnified by climate
change.11
The probability of
tsunamis increases
through other natural
events like sea level
rise, landslides, and
increased volcanic
and earthquake
activity.

Likely - same risk as
the County. This is
due to Granite Falls’
geographical location,
vegetation
type/density, and the

8

Snohomish County Emergency Management (n.d.) Snohomish County Hazard Viewer.
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/28d8e2c49c6a406b875ed20fad52139a?item=1.
9
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/modified-mercalli-intensity-scale
10
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2015. “Update Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2:
Planning Partner Annexes. Chapter 8: City of Granite Falls Annex”
11
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
p. 119.

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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Dam Failure

intentionally started.12 There is a low wildfire hazard within the City
boundaries, but a moderate to high hazard exists in the wild-urban
interface East of the city. Granite Falls is within an interface
community, meaning it “exists where structures directly abut
wildland fuels,” putting the community at an increased risk of
wildfires, as the surrounding woods can provide potential fuel to
wildfires.13,14 Some trees are more hazardous (dead or diseased
trees, overcrowded trees, trees with more ladder fuels, or specific
species), which can increase risk. Wildfires pose risks that include
strain on the resources of local fire agencies, power outages, and
road and highway closures, which may impact fire response. This
can disproportionately affect residents who rely on powered
medical equipment, people without vehicles to evacuate, and
groups that are sensitive to unhealthy air quality, especially the
elderly.15
Dam failure may result in a medium impact in Granite Falls due to
regional transportation disruptions, isolation, and delayed
emergency response. Although Culmback Dam has had no issues
of concern for dam failure in its 55-year history and has
consistently received FERC’s highest safety rating of “satisfactory”
during annual inspections, Granite Falls remains vulnerable to
indirect impacts from a dam failure scenario.17 Granite Falls is
outside the direct inundation zone of the Culmback Dam and
upper Sultan River, reducing the likelihood of severe structural
flood damage within the city. However, in the event of a Culmback
Dam failure, severe downstream flooding could occur in Sultan
and along the Sultan River corridor, disrupting regional
transportation networks and emergency service routes that
connect Granite Falls to surrounding communities. Critical access
routes, including State Route 92 and connections to U.S. Highway
2, may be obstructed or indirectly impacted, limiting evacuation
and access to medical care, utilities, and essential goods. Dam
failure may occur suddenly with little warning and may be
triggered by overtopping caused by floods, structural failure, or
acts of sabotage.18 Direct physical impacts within Granite Falls
would likely be Low Impact, as the city is outside the direct

Probability of Future
Occurrence
increasing presence of
climate change.
Climate change will
lead to increased heat
and drought which
help fuel fires,
increasing the
probability of wildfires.
Over the next 30
years, Granite Falls is
predicted to have a
moderate risk of
wildfire.16
Possible - same
probability as the
County.
Extreme heat and cold
as a result of climate
change can affect the
structural integrity of
dams. Increased
heavy rainfall can lead
to erosion and
scouring near dams,
while rising
temperatures can lead
to faster evaporation,
which may weaken
structures over time.19

12

Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Accessed August 2025. “Washington Large Fires
1973-2023.”
13
Ibid.
14
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2015. “Update Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2:
Planning Partner Annexes. Chapter 8: City of Granite Falls Annex”
15
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
16
First Street. “https://firststreet.org/city/granite-falls-wa/5327995_fsid/fire”
17
Snohomish County Public Utility District. Accessed August 2025. “https://www.snopud.com”
18
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Accessed August 2025. National Dam Safety Program. ”
19
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.” p.
96.

15
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Volcano

Mass Earth
Movement

inundation zone and severe structural damage is unlikely.
However, indirect disruptions to transportation and critical services
could result in Medium Impact due to potential shutdowns of
access routes and emergency services for up to two weeks. The
major consequence of dam failure in Granite Falls is likely
temporary isolation and service disruption rather than widespread
inundation.
Volcanic eruptions are expected within the region but could cause
minimal to low impact on Granite Falls. The City is not located
within near-volcanic hazard or lahar zones from the county’s
volcano, Glacier Peak.20 However, the entire area of Granite Falls
could be uniformly impacted by settling ash. It can negatively
impact air quality, which can cause health problems, especially to
older residents (about 13% of Granite Falls residents are over
65).21 In the event of a Glacier Peak eruption, if the SR 530 is
entirely cut off, Darrington residents may need to be evacuated
through the Mountain Loop Highway and through Granite Falls.
Extreme ashfall could also impact the Stillaguamish River Basin
through sedimentation, impacting natural resources. Volcanic
eruptions could lead to minor health and natural resource impacts.
Mass Earth Movements pose a significant risk to Granite Falls due
to the medium potential impact, exacerbated by its vulnerability to
isolation and climate change.
Mass earth movements are often triggered by other natural
hazards, namely earthquakes. The soil type puts certain areas at
increased risk of landslides, as more liquefiable soils have the
potential to become landslides.22 Granite Falls boundaries lie
within the low to moderate range of liquefaction susceptibility. The
southern and northwest portions of the city have moderate to high
liquefaction susceptibility. There is a risk of landslides within and
around Granite Falls along steep slopes and developed areas.
Granite Falls is particularly vulnerable to landslides in January, as
they are more likely to occur than from the water table that has
risen from previous months.23 Additionally, Granite Falls would be
at increased risk of mass earth movement in the aftermath of a
wildfire from the loss of vegetation and soil stability.24 Landslides
risk lives, homes, essential utilities, and critical ecosystems in
Granite Falls and could further isolate the community from blocked
or destroyed roads, notably the Mountain Loop Highway.

Probability of Future
Occurrence

Possible - same
probability as the
County.
Climate change may
slightly increase the
probability of volcanic
activity through
melting glaciers.

Likely - The County
lists probability as
“possible.” However,
considering Granite
Falls' geographic
location and that it has
experienced four
occurrences in the
past six years, it is at
a higher risk than the
County level. The
presence of a wildfire,
heavy rains, or an
earthquake increases
the likelihood of mass
earth movement in
Granite Falls.
Climate change may
increase the
probability of mass

20

Snohomish County (2025, September). Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Volume 1.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S0101 (Age and
Sex).
22
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
23
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
24
Ibid
21

16
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Disease
Outbreak

Disease outbreaks may result in a medium impact in Granite Falls
due to limited local healthcare capacity, reliance on nearby cities
for advanced medical services, and frequent regional commuting
patterns that may increase opportunities for disease introduction
and spread. According to the American Community Survey,
approximately 82% of Granite Falls workers commute by car or
carpool, increasing daily exposure to regional transmission
pathways and person-to-person contact.25 Granite Falls’ small
community structure and regular local events may further increase
close-contact interactions and facilitate disease transmission.
Disease outbreaks may place increased strain on local healthcare
resources and emergency services and disrupt schools, childcare,
local businesses, and access to essential services, particularly for
vulnerable populations. The major consequence of disease
outbreaks in Granite Falls is likely disruption to public health
systems and community services rather than physical damage to
infrastructure.26

Hazardous
Materials

Hazardous material spills have a low probability in Granite Falls
but a medium potential impact. The city has several roads with
shipping routes, is located near a petroleum product pipeline, and
has several Tier II facilities. A spill along the Mountain Loop

Probability of Future
Occurrence
earth movement– like
rock fall, slumping,
and land and mud
slides– due to an
increase in
temperature, an
increase in heavy rain
events, the soil’s
water content, and
melting snowpack.
Possible – same
probability as the
County. Climate
change can increase
the likelihood of
pandemics and
worsen their impact.
Climate change can
affect the speed of
transmission and
promote
establishments.27
Furthermore, longer
summers, milder
winters, and more
extreme weather
events and other
environmental
changes are making it
easier for mosquitos,
ticks, animals and
infectious germs to
persist for longer and
spread more easily.28
Possible. The County
plan lists the likelihood
as “likely”, but Granite
Falls has the least

25

U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed April 2026. “ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables: S0802 Means of
Transportation to Work by Disability Status.”
26
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
27
Ernst, K.C., A.R. Crimmins, S. Anenberg, M.H. Hayden, B.O. Hoppe, L.J. Mickley, D.E. Peck, H.J.
Tanana, and J.J. West. “Focus on COVID-19 and Climate Change.” In Fifth National Climate
Assessment, edited by A.R. Crimmins, C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, B.C. Stewart, and T.K.
Maycock. Washington, DC: U.S. Global Change Research Program. (2023).
28
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Climate and Infectious Diseases. National Center for
Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. (March 21. 2024). https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/topicsprograms/climate-infectious-disease.html.

17
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary
Highway could be particularly disastrous, as it could impact the
Stillaguamish River and other natural resources. The Pilchuck
River and both the Mountain Way Elementary School and Granite
Falls High School are located near SR 92, representing additional
vulnerabilities. Despite low probability, the proximity of vulnerable
populations and natural resources to potential spills creates
elevated risk.

Flood

Floods pose a high risk to Granite Falls due to the medium
potential impact, intensified by its vulnerability to isolation and
climate change. Increased precipitation may increase the
likelihood of flooding as it has the potential to develop rapidly or
over a long period of time.30 Northern Granite Falls lies within the
South Fork of the Stillaguamish watershed and the southern
portion of the Snohomish watershed.31 A small portion in the
southern end of the city is within the 100-year (1% annual chance)
flood hazard.32 Most commercial zones are in low-risk areas, but
residential structures in the northeast and south parts of the city
are at a higher risk. A primary concern for flooding within Granite
Falls lies outside city boundaries, which may risk evacuation
efforts by damaging or obstructing essential utilities, roads, and
highways, notably the Mountain Loop Highway. This may also
cause Granite Falls to experience isolation, cutting the city off from
emergency and essential services, as well as family members and
jobs, particularly on Paradise Lane due to proximity to the Pilchuck
and South Fork Stillaguamish Rivers. NFIB is not applicable in
Granite Falls.

Probability of Future
Occurrence
concentration of Tier II
facilities in the County
and is not located
along one of the major
transportation routes
or rail. No incidents
have been reported in
Granite Falls.29
Climate change
increases the
probability of
hazardous materials
leaks through events
like flooding, wildfire,
landslides, and
extreme weather
events.
Likely - Same as
county. Climate
change has increased
the probability of
precipitation in the
northwest of the
United States, which
leads to an increased
risk of flooding in
Granite Falls.33
River flooding is
expected to increase
in Granite Falls as a
result of climate
change due to the
combined effects of
wetter winters, more
intense heavy rain
events, and more
winter precipitation
falling as rain rather

29
US Department of Transportation. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Accessed
April 2026. “Hazmat Incident Database.”
30
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
31
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
32
FEMA (n.d.). Flood Data Viewers and Geospatial Data. https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/nationalflood-hazard-layer
33
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”

18
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Cybersecuri
ty Threats

Probability of Future
Occurrence
than snow. Flooding in
the South Fork
Stillaguamish River
can impact roadways
around the Granite
Falls area and close
Mountain Loop
Highway.34 Currently,
a 1-in-100-year flood
event has a 26%
chance of occurring at
least once over a 30year period; this
likelihood will only
increase due to
climate-related effects.
Under high
greenhouse gas
scenarios, the South
Fork Stillaguamish
River stream value is
projected to change
11-12% increase over
the next 30 years,
while the Pilchuck
River is projected to
increase 5%.35
Cybersecurity threats may result in a medium impact in Granite
Possible – same
Falls due to disruptions to communication systems, emergency
probability as the
coordination, and utility services that residents rely on for daily
County. While direct
activities and commuting. Cybersecurity incidents may occur with
cybersecurity
little warning and can disrupt digital networks, communication
incidents within
platforms, and interconnected infrastructure systems at the local
Granite Falls may be
or regional level. Because Granite Falls is primarily a residential
less frequent, the
community with many residents depending on regional systems
city’s reliance on
and external service providers, disruptions occurring outside the
regional
city may affect access to services, transportation coordination, and communication,
emergency response.36 Cybersecurity incidents may reduce
emergency
situational awareness, delay emergency communications and
coordination, and
operations, and create cascading impacts across interconnected
utility systems
systems. The major consequence of cybersecurity threats in
increases the
Granite Falls is likely disruption of essential services and
likelihood of impacts

34

Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”
p.138.
35
Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington. Climate Mapping for a Resilient Washington. (2024).
https://data.cig.uw.edu/climatemapping/.
36
Ibid.

19
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary
emergency coordination rather than physical damage to
infrastructure.

Severe
Weather
Events

Aircraft
Accident

Severe weather events can have a medium impact on Granite
Falls through flooding, destruction to critical facilities, and potential
isolation. “High Winds and Rainstorms, etc., increase adverse
impacts in the City due to large conifer tree canopies in areas of
the City which are prone to damage from limbs, localized flooding
in older neighborhoods with no stormwater conveyance systems,
and older buildings which are susceptible to storm damage”.37
Residents living on Paradise Lane may be susceptible to flooding
of the Pilchuck River. Residents living in the Northeast portion of
the city in unincorporated areas may face an elevated risk of trees
falling and road closures. The serious risk to Granite Falls is
isolation if severe weather events lead to road closures from fallen
trees, landslides, or flooding. Hazardous trees, discussed in the
wildfire section, pose a greater risk. Flooding within the city during
extreme events can occur in areas when stormwater conveyance
systems become overwhelmed.
Aircraft accidents pose a low risk to Granite Falls with low
potential impact. Aircraft accidents most commonly occur close to
airports, putting Granite Falls at low risk due to one privately
owned airport with relatively low air traffic located outside of city
limits.39 Aircraft accidents are localized events that have a small
overall impact.40 There has been one incident of an aircraft
accident near Granite Falls in 2014 with one fatality, though the
risk remains low.41

Probability of Future
Occurrence
from disruptions
occurring outside its
jurisdiction.

Likely - same
probability as the
County.
Climate change
increases the
probability of severe
weather events.
Snohomish County is
expected to
experience more
intense rainfall
through 2050 and
beyond, meaning
more frequent and
intense storms38.
Possible - same
probability as the
County.

37

Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2015. “Update Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2:
Planning Partner Annexes. Chapter 8: City of Granite Falls Annex”.
38
Snohomish County. Community Wide Climate Resilience Plan
39
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume and
have a 1.”
40
Ibid.
41
Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”

20
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Hazard

Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Impact Summary

Extreme
Heat &
Drought

The entire area is at risk. However, areas with a higher
concentration of concrete and less vegetation (urban heat islands)
experience higher temperatures on hot days. Extreme heat and
drought may result in a medium impact in Granite Falls due to
increased temperatures, prolonged heat events, and strain on
healthcare, water systems, and essential services. During
prolonged heat events and drought periods, Granite Falls may
face challenges in responding due to its limited local healthcare
capacity and reliance on nearby cities such as Everett for medical
services.42 Increased demand for care may exceed local capacity
and delay access to treatment. In addition, drought conditions and
higher temperatures may place added stress on local water
systems and regional infrastructure, increasing vulnerability during
extended heat and drought periods. The major consequence of
extreme heat and drought in Granite Falls is likely strain on
healthcare systems, water supply, and essential community
services.

Active
Assailant

Probability of Future
Occurrence
Likely – same
probability as the
County. Increasing
temperatures and
longer heat events are
expected to occur
more frequently,
increasing the
likelihood of impacts in
Granite Falls.

Climate Change
increases the
probability of extreme
heat and drought. For
Snohomish County,
there are predicted to
be 8 to 20 more days
of extreme heat
events every year43.
Short, localized attacks are possible in populated areas of the city Possible. The county
and could have a low impact. There is an elevated risk in open
plan lists the
spaces, schools, and large gathering events. Granite Falls hosts
probability as “likely”.
weekly summer farmer’s markets and annual events, such as the
However, Granite
Railroad Days, Show n’ Shine Car Show, and a Halloween block
Falls has a
party. While several homicides have occurred in the past 10 years, considerably smaller
no active assailant incidents have been documented in Granite
population than other
Falls.44 Granite Falls’ overall risk is low due to the city’s low
cities in the county,
population.
such as Everett (over
110k) or Marysville
(70k), so an active
assailant event is less
likely.

42

Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2015. “Update Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2:
Planning Partner Annexes. Chapter 8: City of Granite Falls Annex”.
43
Snohomish County. Community Wide Climate Resilience Plan
44
Snohomish County Archives. Access April 10, 2026. “Archive Center • Sheriff Press Releases”.

21
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Table 8.3 is an assessment of the exposure of critical infrastructures and facilities within
the county, organized by the 16 critical infrastructure sectors designated by the
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).45 Data is collected by
voluntary submission from partner agencies and may not be accurately tracked or
mapped. As such, some data may be incomplete. Risk summaries were based on the
locations of the known facilities in the database.
Table 8.3 Granite Falls Assets at Risk
Critical Infrastructure
Sector
Chemical

Number of
Structures
0

Commercial Facilities

Entertainment: 0
Gaming: 0
Lodging: 0
Outdoor events: 9
Public Assembly: 0
Real Estate: 4
Retail: 1
Sports Leagues: 0

Communication

10;
Full coverage fixed,
hybrid broadband.

Critical
Manufacturing

4

Hazard Risks Summary
Primary – N/A; No facilities present.
Secondary – Potential chemical exposure from
transportation incidents regarding hazardous
materials; Air or water contamination from
adjacent jurisdictions
Outdoor events:
Primary – Wildfire, Flooding, Earthquake, or
Severe Weather damage to event grounds or
parks; Structural damage to temporary setups or
park equipment
Secondary – Event cancellations; Economic loss
to local vendors;
Emergency response strain during large
gatherings
Real Estate:
Primary – Wildfire, Flooding, Earthquake, or
Severe Weather structural damage to buildings or
stored goods; Utility system damage
Secondary – Displacement of residents;
Insurance or financial impact; Housing strain
Retail:
Primary – Earthquake or Severe Weather
structural damage to storefronts; inventory loss
Secondary – Business interruption; Job loss;
Overall reduced local economic activity
Primary – Wildfire, Flooding, Earthquake, or
Severe Weather structural damage to cell towers,
antennas, or fiber optic cables; Exposure of
underground fiber optic cables
Secondary – Loss of cell service/communication
outages; Interrupted 911 dispatch; Internet
outages; Remote work disruption and reduced
access to remote services; isolation.
Primary – Earthquake or Severe Weather
damage to equipment and structures/power loss

45

Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. Accessed September 2025. “Critical Infrastructure
Sectors.”

22
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Critical Infrastructure
Sector

Number of
Structures

Dams

0

Defense Industrial
Base
Emergency Services

0

Energy

6;
Electrical
transmission lines;
Gas distribution lines

Financial Services

2

Food and Agriculture

15

Government Services
and Facilities

12

Healthcare and
Public Health

6

3

Hazard Risks Summary
Secondary – Interruption of specialized
repair/manufacturing services; Economic impacts
to local industrial workforce
Primary – N/A; No facilities present.
Secondary – Downstream flooding impacting
transportation, utilities, emergency response,
structural health, and local economy.
Primary – N/A; No facilities present.
Secondary –
Primary – Earthquake or Severe Weather
damage to equipment and structures/power loss
Secondary – Delayed emergency response;
Reduced operational capacity; Slower recovery
overall for local community
Primary – Landslides, Flooding, Earthquakes,
Wildfires, and Severe Weather damage to
distribution lines and critical Energy buildings
Secondary – Prolonged power outages; Gas
service/fuel supply disruption; Ripple effect in
other sectors; Increased reliance on backup
generators; Blockage preventing repair crews
from accessing Energy components; Economic
loss; Prolonged recovery
Primary – Earthquake or Severe Weather
damage to physical structure
Secondary – Disruption of banking and payment
systems; Delays in insurance and disaster
recovery funding; Cybersecurity vulnerabilities
during disruptions
Primary – Earthquake, Wildfire, Severe Weather
damage to structure or food supplies
Secondary – Inventory shortages and food
distribution disruption; Economic loss; Limited
food access; Spoiled food causing disease
outbreak
Primary – Earthquake, Wildfire, Severe Weather
damage to physical structure; Active Assailant
threats to student or staff safety
Secondary – Delayed student development;
incident-related trauma; closure and disruption of
government operations; Loss of
personal/governmental records; Delays in
emergency response/coordination
Primary – Earthquake and Severe Weather
damage to structure or equipment
Secondary – Limited access to care; Increased
strain on nearby health facilities; Workforce

23
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Critical Infrastructure
Sector

Number of
Structures

Information
Technology

0

Nuclear Reactors,
Materials, and Waste

0

Transportation
Systems

28

Water and
Wastewater Systems

2,631

Hazard Risks Summary
displacement; Disruption of routine medical
services
Primary – N/A; No facilities present.
Secondary – Multiple sectors affected
simultaneously; Disruptions in city administrative
services, healthcare, education, supply chain,
etc.
Primary – N/A; No facilities present.
Secondary – Minimal exposure to impacts from
regional nuclear accidents; Precautionary public
health measures, such as shelter in place, may
be needed
Primary – Flooding, Earthquake, Severe
Weather, and ashfall from volcanic event damage
to road infrastructure, bus stops, or post office;
Landslide-produced blockages on roads
Secondary – Delays in evacuation; Delays in
emergency response and recovery; Isolation;
Economic disruption; Delivery service disruption;
Multiple sectors affected simultaneously
Primary – Severe Weather and precipitation
damage to stormwater infrastructure; Earthquake,
Liquefaction, and Flooding damage to the overall
water system.
Secondary – Public health crises; Water
contamination; Ecological damage; Strain on city
budget due to costly repairs

8.4 Plan Update Process
This section includes Granite Falls planning team, subject matter experts, the plan
update timeline, and public outreach. The Granite Falls update process included
engagement of Granite Falls staff, partner agencies, and the public. The process began
with attending Snohomish County lead mitigation planning meetings. A Granite Falls
planning team was identified and met to review inputs, outreach, and deliverables.
Team members worked within their respective programs to develop content and
perform outreach throughout the planning process. UW’s Livable City Year was hired to
develop this Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). UW graduate students in the Master of
Urban Planning program were selected to complete this task. This started with creating
an Initial Conditions Report from January to March which helped determine the
priorities, goals, and needs of the city when it came to hazard mitigation. Once this was
completed in late March, students moved to develop the HMP to include two public
outreach activities (see table 8.6) and multiple meetings in coordination with Granite

24
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Falls and Snohomish County. The final report was brought before Granite Falls City
Council on June 3rd, 2026.
Table 8.4 shows the Granite Falls’ internal planning team for developing this Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
Table 8.4 Granite Falls Planning Team
Name
Brent Kirk

Title
Deputy City
Manager

Organization
City of Granite
Falls

Amy Hess

Planning Director City of Granite
Falls

Charles White

Public Works
Director

City of Granite
Falls

Contribution
Coordinated visits,
reviewed drafts, and
provided information.
Coordinated visits,
reviewed drafts, and
provided information.
Conducted Site Visits,
reviewed drafts, provided
information

Subject Matter Experts
Granite Falls has benefited through the years from partnerships and collaboration in all
phases of emergency management (prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response,
and recovery). The following discipline partners provided subject matter expertise
throughout this mitigation planning effort:
● Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management
● Snohomish County Fire Chiefs Association
● Snohomish County Emergency Management Coordination Committee &
subcommittees
● Snohomish County Departments (Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, Health Department, Human Services, Planning and Development
Services, Public Works, Office of Energy and Sustainability)
● Washington State departments (Emergency Management Division, Department
of Natural Resources, Department of Ecology, Washington Geological Survey,
Department of Transportation)
● Federal agencies (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
National Weather Service (NWS), United States Army Corps of Engineers,
United States Forest Service)
Table 8.5 details the major milestones and meeting dates in the Granite Falls plan
update timeline. The local planning started in 2025.
25
Page 155 of 194

Table 8.5 Granite Falls Plan Update Timeline
Date
3/26/2025

4/10/2025

5/8/2025
6/12/2025

7/10/2025

8/11/2025

9/11/2025

10/9/2025

11/13/2025

Planning Activity
Summary
HIRA Survey Kick- Email was sent out with the full
Off
HIRA survey to all planning
members with invites to eight office
hour meetings with the Project
Team for any questions.
Annex Partner
Kick-off meeting for annex planning
Planning Team
partners. Gave planning partners
an overview of the HMP planning
process and explained the update
methodology and update timeline.
Reviewed their initial HIRA survey
results.
Annex Partner
Discussed all Goals and Objectives
Planning Team
and proposed updates.
Annex Partner
Finalized suggested changes for
Planning Team
the updated draft Goals and
Objectives. Discussed the updated
hazards and held a workshop to
identify potential impacts and
cascading impacts for each hazard.
Annex Partner
Reviewed the methodology used to
Planning Team
collect updated Critical
Infrastructure and Key Resources
data. Discussed how the County
would be integrating hazard
mitigation planning with the Capital
Improvement Plan. Reviewed and
approved the questions for the
Public Survey.
Critical
Email was sent out with instructions
Infrastructure and on how to update CIKR information.
Key Resources
Partners had two options: update
(CIKR) Update
the information manually using the
Tool Kick-Off
tool (for partners without GIS
Email
capabilities) or submit the data to
the Project Team.
Annex Partner
Discussed countywide mitigation
Planning Team
strategies and approved the
strategies. Reviewed the timeline
for completing the Base Plan.
Annex Partner
Review and discuss any partner
Planning Team
comments for the draft plan.
Discuss the timeline and process
for annex development.
Annex Partner
Reviewed any public comments
Planning Team
that were submitted during the
public comment period and how

Attendees
All Public Planning
Committee Members

Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners

Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners
Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners

Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners

Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners

Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners
Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners
Project Team, Annex
Planning Partners

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Fall 2025

Third-party
consultant hired
(UW’s Livable City
Year)

01/07/2026

City of Granite
Falls presented
the HMP goals
and requirements

01/16/2026

Site visit
throughout the
City of Granite
Falls

03/11/2026

Presentation of
the Initial
Condition Report
(ICR) at the city
council meeting

05/06/2026

UW’s Master of
Urban Planning
collaborators
presented the
Risk Summary

05/17/2026

UW’s Master of
Urban Planning
collaborators set
up a booth/table
for community
feedback at the
Sky Valley 29th
Annual motorcycle
show in Granite
Falls

they were integrated into the plan.
Approve the final draft of the base
plan.
UW’s Livable City Year coordinated
with Snohomish County and the
City of Granite Falls to be a
consultant and develop the Granite
Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan by July
2026
The city of Granite Falls had a
Zoom call with the UW students
and instructors tasked with
developing the Hazard Mitigation
Plan.
The city of Granite Falls conducted
a tour of the city with UW students
and instructors. This visit included
traveling to the wastewater
treatment plant, lift stations, Bridge
102, wells near the library, and city
hall.
UW’s Master of Urban Planning
collaborators presented the ICR to
Granite Falls’ City Council, which
conducted a comprehensive review
of the City of Granite Falls and the
surrounding areas in preparation
for developing the HMP.
UW’s Master of Urban Planning
collaborators presented the Risk
Summary portion of the HMP (over
Zoom) to the City of Granite Falls
and Snohomish County
representatives, and they provided
feedback.
This was a table set up outside
during the event, open to anyone.
Attendees (city residents) were
asked to help identify high-risk
areas, which hazards are of greatest
concern, and what mitigation
strategies should be prioritized. QR

Snohomish County, City
of Granite Falls, UW’s
Livable City Year

City of Granite Falls
(Deputy City Manager
and Planning Director),
UW’s Master of Urban
Planning collaborators
City of Granite Falls
(Deputy City Manager,
Planning Director, and
Public Works Director),
UW’s Master of Urban
Planning collaborators

Granite Falls City
Council and City
officials, local residents
at the meeting, and
UW’s Master of Urban
Planning collaborators

Snohomish County
Resilience and
Mitigation Program
Analyst, City of Granite
Falls (Deputy City
Manager, Planning
Director), UW’s Master
of Urban Planning
collaborators
UW’s Master of Urban
Planning collaborators
and local residents

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06/03/2026

UW’s Master of
Urban Planning
collaborators
presented the final
draft of HMP at
the city council
meeting

06/10/2026

UW’s Master of
Urban Planning
collaborators
delivered the
completed HMP to
Granite Falls

codes for the online survey were
also distributed.
UW’s Master of Urban Planning
collaborators presented the HMP to
Granite Falls’ City Council.

UW’s Master of Urban Planning
collaborators delivered the HMP to
Granite Falls.

Snohomish County
Resilience and
Mitigation Program
Analyst, Granite Falls
City Council and City
officials, local residents
at the meeting, and
UW’s Master of Urban
Planning collaborators
Submitted to Deputy City
Manager and Planning
Director

Public Outreach
Table 8.6 shows the public outreach efforts for Granite Falls. An online survey with 7
questions was released through the City of Granite Falls website and city alert text
feature. The public survey asked respondents which hazards are perceived to pose the
greatest risk, gauge concern about isolation and preparedness levels, and identify
which mitigation strategies should be prioritized. In-person engagement took place at
the Sky Valley 29th Annual Motorcycle Show on May 17, 2026. This event was held in
downtown Granite Falls. Attendees were asked to help identify high-risk areas, which
hazards are of greatest concern, and what mitigation strategies should be prioritized.
QR codes for the online survey were also distributed.
Survey Results
Of 37 responses, the online survey showed the top three concerns among Granite Falls
residents to be wildfire (29 votes), severe weather (18 votes), and earthquake (15
votes) (See Figure 1). The survey also identified that community members worry about
not being able to evacuate (24 votes) and having access to food and water (22 votes) in
the event of a hazard. To inform mitigation strategy development, the survey also asked
which categories of strategies the community would prefer. Provide more community
education and support” (25 votes) and “fix or improve roads, buildings, or other public
spaces” (23 votes) were the most popular (See Figure 2).
In-Person Event Results
At the Sky Valley 29th Annual Motorcycle Show in downtown Granite Falls, members of
the HMP drafting team spoke with residents about their concerns about hazards and
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what they believe the city can do to mitigate risk. A large map of the city and a poster
board with survey questions 2 and 6 (See Figures 1 & 2 and Appendix 1) were provided
to facilitate conversation and attract residents to the table. Residents frequently
expressed concerns about earthquakes, wildfires, and landslides, often referencing the
2014 Oso landslide. Many identified replacing Bridge 102 as a top priority.

Figure 1. Results of survey question 2: Which
three hazard events do you think are the biggest
threats to Granite Falls?

Figure 2. Results of survey question 6:
What do you think the City of Granite
Falls could do to help with hazards?

Overall, wildfires and earthquakes were identified as major concerns in both the inperson event and the online survey. The community also expressed a desire to fix roads
and bridges, and to improve access to community education through both public
outreach formats. This input ultimately informed the selection of the plan's mitigation
strategies. It is also recommended that Granite Falls continue its engagement with the
community on this topic, particularly to fulfill residents’ desire to learn more about how
hazards might affect them and how they may best prepare (See Hazard Mitigation
Strategies GF-05 through GF-08).
Table 8.6 Granite Falls Public Outreach
Date
May –
September
2025

Event/Activity
HMP Public
Survey

Summary
The public survey asked respondents
to help identify hazards in the
community and what activities and
projects should be prioritized

Attendees
133 responses

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October 1-31,
2025

HMP Public
Comment
Period

April 14 – May
20, 2026

HMP Public
Survey

May 17, 2026

HMP Public
Outreach
Event– Sky
Valley 29th
Annual
Motorcycle
Show

Community members were provided
with the draft HMP from October 1st to
October 31st, 2025, on the county’s
website and informed of the
availability of the plan through the
DEM newsletter which was sent to
over 14,000 subscribers, and
announcements on DEM’s social
media accounts
The public survey asked respondents
which hazards are perceived to have
the greatest risk, gauge concern about
isolation and preparedness levels, and
what mitigation strategies should be
prioritized. The survey was released
through the City of Granite Falls
website.
This event was held in downtown
Granite Falls. Attendees were asked
to help identify high-risk areas, which
hazards are of greatest concern, and
what mitigation strategies should be
prioritized. QR codes for the online
survey were given out as well.

6 responses

37 responses

Approximately 30
participants

8.5 Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Program
Hazard mitigation strategies were developed through a two-step process. Granite Falls
developed, with an internal planning team and UW graduate students, a comprehensive
range of mitigation strategies. These strategies were then prioritized and documented.

Hazard Mitigation Authorities, Responsibilities, and Capabilities
Planning and regulatory capabilities include the plans, policies, codes, and ordinances
that mitigate the impacts of hazards. Table 8.7 outlines Granite Falls’ planning and
regulatory capabilities.
Table 8.7 Granite Falls Plans, Programs, Policies, and Processes
Name
City of Granite Falls
Comprehensive Plan 2044
(2024)

Responsible Agency
Planning and
Development
Services

Relationship to Hazard Mitigation Plan
Provides the framework for the long-range
vision of the City, used to verify mitigation
projects fit into the holistic approach to
growth, development, sustainment, and
the community.

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Comprehensive Water System
Plan (2023)

Public Works

Provides a planning strategy for the City’s
utilities over 10-year and 20-year planning
periods.

Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan (CEMP)

City Manager

Provides the framework for the actions of
the county and the city in the event of an
emergency in Granite Falls. Establishes
an all-hazards approach to enhance the
City of Granite Falls’ ability to manage
emergencies and disasters.

Comprehensive Wastewater
Facility Plan (2016)

Public Works

This Plan focuses on three primary areas,
including: (1) The Westside (Burn Road);
(2) Mountain Loop Highway; and (3) the
Southeast portion of the City’s Urban
Growth Area (UGA).

Stormwater Management
Action Plan (2025 draft)

Public Works

This plan describes how the stormwater
system is managed throughout the city.

Six-year Transportation
Improvement Plan (2026)

Public Works

This document tracks the transportation
projects planned for the next 6 years,
which may affect egress and ingress
during a hazard event.

Municipal Codes

Planning and
Development
Services

Manages the city's codes that affect daily
activities, which can inform actions to
mitigate risks.

Land Use Planning and Zoning Planning and
Development
Services

Manages and approves the city's overall
land use and zoning.

Annual Budget

Plans and manages the funding that
supports the mitigation strategy funding.

Finance Director

Administrative and technical capabilities include staff and their skills and resources that
may be leveraged for mitigation planning and implementation. Table 8.8 shows the
Administrative and technical capabilities for Granite Falls.
Table 8.8 Administrative and Technical Capabilities for Hazard Mitigation
Name/Title

Point of Contact

Responsibility

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Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan (CEMP)

Emergency
Management
Coordinator (City
Manager)

Prepare, maintain, and update the Granite
Falls Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan

GIS

Granite Falls Public
Works Director

Manage online map/GIS data portal

Grant Writing/Management

Planning Director,
City Manager

Prepare and submit grant applications
Manage grant funds in accordance with
applicable requirements

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
Table 8.9 discusses the status of the National Flood Insurance Program for Granite
Falls.
Table 8.9: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Compliance
NFIP Criteria
What department is responsible for floodplain
management in your community?
Who is your community’s floodplain
administrator? (title/position)
What is the date of adoption of your flood
damage prevention ordinance?
When was the most recent Community
Assistance Visit or Community Assistance
Contact?
Does your community have any outstanding
NFIP compliance violations that need to be
addressed? If so, please state what they are?
Do your flood hazard maps adequately
address the flood risk within your community?
If so, please state why.
Does your floodplain management staff need
any assistance or training to support its
floodplain management program? If so, what
type of training/assistance is needed?
Does your community participate in the
Community Rating System (CRS)? If so,
what is your CRS Classification and are you
seeing to improve your rating? If not, is your
community interested in joining CRS?
How many Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) and
Repetitive Loss (RL) properties are located in
your jurisdiction?
Has your community ever conducted an
elevation or buy out of a flood-prone

Description
Community Development
Community Development Director
April 21, 2010

No
Yes, flood maps encompass areas at risk of flooding.
Possibly, regular trainings or updates on the program
could prove useful.
No

SRL: 0
RL: 0
No, the City is not interested in buying out flood
prone properties.
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NFIP Criteria
property? If so, what fund source did you
use? If not, are you interested in pursuing
buyouts of flood prone properties?

Description

Plan Monitoring, Implementation, and Future Updates
Snohomish County leads the mitigation plan monitoring and update process and
schedules the annual plan check-ins. Updates on mitigation projects are solicited by the
county for inclusion in the countywide Annual Progress Report. As part of participating
in the 2025 update to the Hazard Mitigation Plan, every jurisdiction agrees to attend an
annual meeting of the Public Planning Committee to review their progress on hazard
mitigation strategies and to update the plan based on new data or recent disasters.
As part of leading a countywide planning effort, the Snohomish County Department of
Emergency Management (DEM) will distribute to planning partners any federal notices
of funding opportunity for the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program. Proposals
from partners will be assessed according to the prioritization process identified in this
plan, and the county will, where possible, support those partners submitting grant
proposals. This will be a key strategy to implement the plan.
The next plan update is expected in 2030. All jurisdictions will submit letters of intent by
2028, at least two years prior to plan expiration. The county will lead the next
countywide planning effort, beginning at least 18 months before the expiration of the
2025 plan.

Continued Public Participation
Snohomish County and its partner cities already maintain substantial public outreach
capabilities, focusing on personal preparedness and education. Information on ongoing
progress in implementing the hazard mitigation plan will be integrated into public
outreach efforts. This will provide Snohomish County residents, already engaged in
personal preparedness efforts, with context and the opportunity to provide feedback on
the county’s progress and priorities in large-scale mitigation. In the vertical integration of
risk-reduction activities from personal to local to state and federal, it is important that the
public understand how its activities support, and are supported by, larger-scale efforts.

8.6 Hazard Mitigation Strategies
Due to Granite Falls' isolated geographic location and reliance on essential services
from cities such as Everett, it is defined as a ‘population island’, “where mobility outside

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of the immediate area may be significantly limited, or impossible” 46. This isolation
places Granite Falls at heightened risk of being cut off from emergency services and
water supply during a hazard event, with direct consequences for residents' essential
needs and access to medical care. The 12 strategies outlined in this section were
developed using FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Handbook and aim to address
vulnerabilities stemming from this isolation and mitigate the impacts of the 13 identified
hazards.
Table 8.10 Summarizes the status of the 2015 Hazard Mitigation Strategies for Granite
Falls. The most recent Hazard Mitigation Strategy for Granite Falls was in 2015 as an
Annex to the Snohomish County HMP. Below are strategies listed in the 2015 plan,
updated with their current status as of the development of this updated HMP.
Table 8.10: 2015 Hazard Mitigation Strategies Status
ID
GF-1
GF-2
GF-3
GF-4
GF-5
GF-6
GF-7

GF-8
GF-9
GF-10

GF-11
GF-12
46

Description
Determine structural vulnerability of older structures on
NEHRP D and E soils and seismic retrofit.
Replace or retrofit vulnerable critical utility infrastructure.
Educate the public on vegetation management practices to
reduce risk to homes.
Maintain and clear storm drains and culverts.
Promote open space uses in identified high-hazard areas by
use of setbacks, greenways, and environmentally sensitive
areas.
Promote non-structural seismic retrofitting for residential
structures on NEHRP D and E soils.
Educate the public on fire prevention and policy by: a)
restricting hazardous activities during high-risk times, b)
encouraging residents to store water on-site and clear
defensible space along structures, and
c) manage fuel loads through controlled burns or harvesting.
Support all countywide initiatives related to Hazard Mitigation.
Continue to maintain compliance and good standing under
the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Where appropriate, support retrofitting, purchase, or
relocation of structures located in hazard-prone areas to
protect structures from future damage, with repetitive loss
and severe repetitive loss properties as a priority when
applicable.
Continue to support the implementation, monitoring,
maintenance, and updating of this Plan, as defined in the
SCHMP.
Integrate, where appropriate, risk assessment information

Priority
Medium

Status
Removed

Medium
High

Ongoing
Ongoing

High
High

Ongoing
Ongoing

Medium

Removed

High

Ongoing

High
High

Ongoing
Removed

Medium

Removed

High

Ongoing

High

Ongoing

Snohomish County Emergency Management. 2026. “Draft 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – Volume 1.”

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from the Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan into other
planning mechanisms available to the City, such as the
Capital Improvements program, the Comprehensive planning
process, and Shorelines Master planning.

Table 8.11 This table summarizes the 2026 Hazard Mitigation Strategies. FEMA’s Local
Mitigation Planning Handbook provides the framework for the four mitigation action
types: Local Plans & Regulations, Structure & Infrastructure Projects, Natural Systems
Protection & Nature‑Based Solutions, and Education & Awareness Programs. The table
is organized by priority, which is calculated using the Mitigation Action Prioritization
Matrix in Appendix D of the Snohomish County HMP.
Table 8.11: 2026 Hazard Mitigation Strategies
ID

Description

Lead Agency

Priority

GF-01

Develop a list of buildings/ areas to
prioritize in the case of a disastrous
event.

Public Works

High Benefit

GF-02

Avoid the damage to roads and
transportation routes during hazardous
events by continuing to support the
2044 Comprehensive Plan, Six-Year
Transportation Improvement Plan.

Public Works

High Benefit

GF-03

Consider alternative energy sources for Planning and Community
future municipal development to
Development
decrease dependence on outside
sources in the event of energy
disruption or city isolation.

High Benefit

GF-04

Incorporate emergency-response
functions into the planned Granite
Falls Community Center. The
facility could serve as a community
gathering space during normal
conditions while also functioning as
an emergency shelter, a clean-air
and cooling center, a supply
distribution site, and a
preparedness education center
during disasters.

Planning and Community
Development

High Benefit

GF-05

Build on existing mutual aid networks
to increase hazard awareness among

Public Works

High Benefit

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residents and protect those living in
vulnerable areas.
GF-06

Expand and formalize hazard alert
systems to reach all residents

Granite Falls City Admin
w/ Snohomish County's
Department of
Emergency Management

High Benefit

GF-07

Initiate planning towards potable water
supply development

Public Works

Medium Benefit

GF-08

Develop and hold community
workshops about emergency
preparedness

Planning and Community
Development

Medium benefit

GF-09

Develop sustainability and resilience
standards that codify hazard mitigation
into planning documents.

Planning and Community
Development

Medium Benefit

GF-10

Remove/trim unhealthy and hazardous
trees to reduce wildfire risk and
damage from severe weather.

Public Works

Medium Benefit

GF-11

Reduce damage during flooding and
severe weather by increasing urban
greening infrastructure, including
bioswales, rain gardens, and
permeable surfaces.

Public Works

Low Benefit

GF-12

Reduce the effect of mass earth
movement and flooding by providing
greater protection for natural features
in the Stormwater Management
Program

Public Works

Low Benefit

GF-01 Priority Facilities List
Understand resource prioritization during the response and recovery phases after
hazard events by developing a list of public (and private) buildings that support key
infrastructure systems, day-to-day operations, and important breakpoints most at risk of
earthquake (shaking), wildfire (air filtration and susceptibility), severe weather, mass
earth movement, and flooding. Considerations of frequency, severity, and impact should
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be included in the prioritization process. By anticipating potential needs and providing
an agreed-upon list of areas/buildings that need implementation of mitigation strategies
and strengthened redundancy, Granite Falls can better determine where and how to
prioritize resources after future hazard impacts.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept):
Public Works
Department

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)
Who else outside your jurisdiction
benefits from the strategy or will
help implement the strategy?
Emergency Response,
Snohomish County PUD

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported:
Earthquakes,
wildfires, severe
weather, mass
earth movement,
and flooding

Funding
Sources:
Grants and
General Fund
Revenue and
Estimated
Costs:
$40,000

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Prioritize resources during the response and recovery phases after hazard events by
developing a list of public (and private) buildings that support key infrastructure systems, dayto-day operations, and important breakpoints most at risk of earthquake (shaking), wildfire (air
filtration and susceptibility), severe weather, mass earth movement, and flooding.
Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Administratively, Granite Falls will utilize institutional knowledge, emergency response
personnel, utilities staff, and other technical experts to inform resource allocation prioritization
for rebuilding and strengthening systems . Considerations for frequency, severity, and impact
of hazard events should be included in the development of the prioritization. By anticipating
potential resource needs based on an agreed-upon list of areas/buildings that provide
essential services and would benefit from protection and rebuilding, Granite Falls can better
determine where and how to prioritize resources after future hazard impacts.

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2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Long-Term Objectives
Maintain and update
the prioritization list as
infrastructure is
changed or added, and
as community needs
change.

Develop response and recovery
Work with agency staff,
emergency response personnel, strategies that reflect the
developed list of prioritizations.
and others as necessary to
understand high-impact areas of
Granite Falls and their risk of
susceptibility to high probability
hazards.
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
1. Determine which city, county, and local representatives are best included in the
process. Granite Falls Public Utilities Department, emergency response service staff,
and Snohomish County Public Utilities Department staff, as well as personnel with a
strong understanding of hazardous events and their impacts on Granite Falls, are
recommended.
2. Evaluate and determine the prioritization list
3. Receive consensus among stakeholders on the prioritization response list
4. As needed, develop mitigation and implementation strategies in anticipation of future
hazard events.
5. Update and maintain the list periodically as infrastructure is changed/increased or
community and City needs are altered
Performance Measures
Prioritization list developed and agreed upon among stakeholders.

Mitigation Action Benefit Cost-Review Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Low cost
Addresses high-risk hazards - Earthquakes, wildfires, severe weather,
mass earth movement, flooding
Supports 4+ goals: GF comp plan LU-1.5, LU-12.2, LU-12.6, CF-5.1, NE5.2
Will produce significant and lasting public safety benefits for residents,
businesses, and property.
Action will produce a benefit to underserved communities that are socially
vulnerable - the target demographic is not explicitly stated, but will benefit
Strongly accounts for changes in development - increases infrastructure
needs and growth affects priority areas
Accounts for the effect of climate change - Wildfire, severe weather, mass
earth movement, and flooding

5
5
5
5
3
5
5

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8

Action addresses hazard risks for the entire affected area of the community
TOTAL:

5
38

GF-02 Transportation Resilience Improvements
To reduce transportation disruption during hazardous events, Granite Falls should
continue prioritizing roadway maintenance and transportation improvement projects that
support emergency access throughout the city. Using the 2044 Comprehensive Plan
and the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan, the city should identify the
transportation routes most vulnerable to flooding, severe weather, wildfire, mass earth
movement, and earthquakes. As funding becomes available through Street CIF funds or
grants, Granite Falls can complete transportation improvement projects alongside
regular roadway maintenance to strengthen long-term transportation resilience and
emergency access.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)

Public Works
Department

Snohomish County Public Works
Snohomish County Department
of Emergency Management
Washington State Department of
Transportation (WSDOT)

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
Flooding
Severe Weather
Earthquake
Mass earth
movement
Supports
transportation,
evacuation, and
infrastructure
resilience

Funding
Sources: Grant
Funding & City
Streets Fund
Revenue
Estimated
Costs:
$25,000 to
develop priority
plan
See TIP for
project costs
Street CIF
High

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Create a plan to maintain roads in order to ensure safe, reliable, and resilient transportation
access throughout Granite Falls during hazardous events to support daily community
activities, emergency response, evacuation, and overall community connectivity.

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Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
To reduce transportation disruption during hazardous events, Granite Falls should continue
prioritizing roadway maintenance and transportation improvement projects that support
emergency access throughout the city. Using the 2044 Comprehensive Plan and Six-Year
Transportation Improvement Plan, the city should identify transportation routes that are most
vulnerable to flooding, severe weather, wildfire, mass earth movement and earthquake. As
funding becomes available through Street CIF funds or grants, Granite Falls can complete
transportation improvement projects alongside regular roadway maintenance to strengthen
long-term transportation resilience and emergency access.

2-Year Objectives
-Continue to support the SixYear Transportation
Improvement Program by
identifying transportation routes
vulnerable to earthquakes,
flooding, severe weather,
wildfires, and mass earth
movement
-Prioritize critical routes for
emergency access and
evacuation

5-Year Objectives
-Complete priority roadway
maintenance and transportation
improvement projects
-Continue tracking transportation
infrastructure projects and funding
opportunities related to emergency
access and hazard mitigation

Long-Term
Objectives
Maintain a resilient
and reliable
transportation
network that
supports daily
activities, emergency
response, and
evacuation during
hazardous events.

- Pursue Street CIF funding and
grant opportunities for
transportation mitigation projects
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Granite Falls Public Works should review transportation routes vulnerable to flooding, severe
weather, erosion, and wildfire impacts. Priority roadway segments important for evacuation
and emergency response should be identified and compared with projects currently included
in the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. Where gaps are identified, additional
roadway maintenance or transportation improvement projects may be considered as funding
becomes available through Street CIF funds or grants. Transportation improvement projects
can be completed alongside regular roadway maintenance and infrastructure upgrades over
time.

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Performance Measures
● Number of roadway segments prioritized for evacuation and emergency response
● Amount of funding secured for roadway maintenance and transportation mitigation
projects
● Number of completed roadway maintenance and transportation improvement projects
● Reduced transportation disruption during hazardous events

Mitigation Action Benefit Cost-Review Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

High cost
Addresses high-risk hazards
Supports transportation maintenance, roadway safety, emergency access,
and hazard mitigation goals in the 2044 Comprehensive Plan (T-1, T-1.2,
T-14.5, T-15.8)
significant and lasting public safety benefits for residents, businesses, and
property
Action will benefit all residents
Strongly accounts for changes in development by incorporating hazard
mitigation needs into future transportation planning and infrastructure
improvement priorities
Accounts for effects of climate change – severe weather, flooding, erosion,
and wildfire may disrupt transportation access and emergency response
routes more frequently.
Action addresses hazard risks for the entire affected area of the community

1
5
5

TOTAL:

34

5
3
5
5
5

GF-03 Alternative Energy Development
For the future development of new or repurposed municipal buildings, integrating
alternative energy sources such as solar panels or battery storage would increase the
city's resilience during hazard events. Since the city receives its energy from Snohomish
County PUD, having alternative energy sources would ensure access during
emergencies. Granite Falls is at risk of isolation due to several hazard events.
Diversifying energy sources would provide electricity for the future municipal buildings,
which could be repurposed during emergencies.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
Granite Falls
Community
Development

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)
Who else outside your jurisdiction
benefits from the strategy or will
help implement the strategy?
Granite Falls Public Works
Snohomish County PUD

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
Reduces energy
dependence on
outside sources

Funding
Sources: Grant
Funding and
General Fund
Revenue
Estimated
Costs:

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in the event of
islanding during
a climate hazard
like flooding,
landslide,
earthquake,
extreme weather
events, dam
failure, extreme
heat, and
wildfire.

$400,000
Capital Cost
Washington
State
Department of
Commerce has
a Clean Energy
Grant Program
that can be
applied for.

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Consider alternative energy sources to be added to municipal buildings to decrease
dependence on outside sources in the event of energy disruption or city isolation.
Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Granite Falls is at risk of isolation during several hazards, with the most prominent being
flooding, landslides, earthquakes, and extreme weather events. Isolation events might involve
a major utility failure, such as a city-wide power outage.
To prepare for this possibility, the Community Development and Public Works Departments
will partner to consider integrating alternative energy sources into municipal buildings. Smallscale alternative energy sources like solar panels and battery storage would be feasible
changes to add to city-owned buildings.
The initial price of these energy improvements would be high, but there are grant programs
that the city could apply for. Specifically, the Washington State Department of Commerce has
a Clean Energy Grant Program that the city could apply for to assist in the completion of
these upgrades.
Transitioning city-owned buildings to include renewable energy sources would save the city
money in the long run, support the city’s environmental goals, and create energy-independent
assets that can be utilized by the community during emergency events.

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2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Identify a municipal building to
upgrade with an alternative
energy source.

Have completed upgrading a
municipal building to include an
alternative energy source.

Long-Term
Objectives
Build energy
independence by
diversifying energy
sources.

Begin creating a plan to upgrade
Create an integration plan for
another municipal building.
the municipal building and use
that plan to apply for a clean
energy grant.
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
●

The Granite Falls Community Development and Public Works Departments will team
up to consider integrating alternative energy sources into municipal buildings around
the city.
● Identify a city-owned building that could be most resourceful during a city-wide power
outage.
● Create an integration plan for installing alternative energy sources into the building.
● Apply for a WA Department of Commerce clean energy grant.
● Use money to implement the building improvement.
● Include this building in the city’s emergency management plan as a possible resource
during emergencies.
Performance Measures
●
●
●

The number of alternative energy sources integrated throughout the city.
Measure the amount of energy independently generated by the city.
Emergency management plan updated to include alternative energy sources during
emergencies.

Mitigation Action Benefit Cost-Review Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6

Low cost
Addresses high-risk hazards - Earthquakes, wildfires, severe weather,
mass earth movement, flooding
Supports 9 goals from Granite Falls Comprehensive Plan: LU-12.1, LU12.3, LU-12.4, LU-12.6, T-11, CF-5.1, U-1.2, NE-1.3, NE-5.1
Will produce significant and lasting public safety benefits for residents,
businesses, and property.
Action will produce a benefit to underserved communities that are socially
vulnerable - the target demographic is not explicitly stated, but will benefit
Strongly accounts for changes in development - increases infrastructure

1
5
5
5
5
3

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7
8

needs and growth affects priority areas
Accounts for the effect of climate change - Wildfire, severe weather, mass
earth movement, flooding
Action addresses hazard risks for the entire affected area of the community
TOTAL:

5
5
34

GF-04 Community Center Programs
Granite Falls will develop resilience programs and emergency functions within the
planned Community Center to strengthen the city’s ability to prepare for, respond to,
and recover from hazard events such as wildfire, extreme heat, earthquakes, severe
winter storms, and periods of isolation. The Community Center will serve as a resilience
hub by providing emergency shelter, clean-air and cooling spaces, backup power,
emergency supplies, and access to information and services during disasters. The
Community Center will also provide preparedness workshops, emergency training, and
outreach programs focused on local hazards, evacuation planning, and emergency
response. Hazard preparedness information can be shared through community events,
schools, libraries, and local organizations to improve awareness and participation. By
integrating resilience programs into the community center’s operations, Granite Falls will
improve coordination during disasters and reduce long-term community vulnerability
and isolation.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
GF Planning Dept.
& City Manager’s
Office, Emergency
Management

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)
Who else outside your jurisdiction
benefits from the strategy or will
help implement the strategy?
Snohomish County Emergency
Management, local healthcare
providers, community
organizations, WA Emergency
Management Division

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported

Funding
Sources and
Estimated Costs
$500,000

Wildfire, smoke
events, extreme
heat, severe
winter storms,
earthquakes, and
isolation during
emergencies

FEMA grants,
state resilience
grants, general
fund, publicprivate
partnerships,
community
development
grants

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Develop a community resilience hub within the planned community center that supports
emergency preparedness, strengthens social cohesion, and improves access to essential
resources before, during, and after hazard events.

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Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Incorporate emergency-response functions into the planned Granite Falls Community Center.
The facility could serve as a community gathering space during normal conditions while also
functioning as an emergency shelter, clean-air and cooling center, supply distribution site,
and preparedness education center during disasters.
2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Identify resilience functions and
facility needs for the community
center. Coordinate with
emergency management and
community partners. Explore
grant and funding opportunities.

Incorporate backup power, cleanair rooms, cooling infrastructure,
emergency supplies, and seismic
safety measures into the facility
design and operations.

Long-Term
Objectives
Establish the
community center as
a hub that
strengthens
preparedness and
disaster response
capacity.

Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Granite Falls should coordinate with emergency management agencies, healthcare providers,
and community organizations during the planning and development of the future community
center. Resilience features such as backup power, air filtration systems, cooling spaces,
emergency supplies, stormwater management infrastructure, and accessible communication
systems should be incorporated into the building design early in the planning process. The
city can also develop preparedness workshops, emergency outreach programs, and
community events through the center to strengthen awareness and social connectedness
over time.
Performance Measures
Performance measures for this strategy include incorporating resilience features into the final
community center design, such as backup power, clean-air and cooling spaces, emergency
supplies, and seismic safety measures. Success can also be measured through the number
of preparedness workshops and outreach events hosted at the center, community
participation in programs, and the center’s ability to function as an emergency shelter and
resource hub during hazard events. Over time, the strategy should help improve community
preparedness, coordination, and social cohesion.

GF-05 Hazard Awareness
Granite Falls will identify high-risk areas using the Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation
Plan 2025, the Granite Falls Initial Conditions Report, and the Granite Falls Hazard
Mitigation Plan 2017 to determine where to conduct targeted outreach efforts. As
residents living in high-risk areas may have limited awareness of the hazards that
threaten their neighborhoods, Granite Falls may conduct outreach through canvassing
in hazard-prone areas to raise awareness of hazards, emergency procedures, and
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available resources. Hazard awareness and emergency preparedness information will
also be shared through existing community meetings, such as churches, schools,
libraries, and social clubs, as well as at community events and on social media.
Leveraging established community relationships will allow residents who may not
otherwise be involved in local government to participate and stay informed about hazard
preparedness and emergency planning discussions. Through coordinated efforts with
residents, Snohomish Co. Fire District 17, community leaders, and local government
officials, Granite Falls will establish trusted communication channels with residents
living in vulnerable areas. This will allow hazard risks, evacuation procedures, and
emergency resources to be more easily distributed to the target populations through
trusted community channels.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)

Partner Points of Contact
(Dept or Agency)
Who else outside your
jurisdiction benefits from the
strategy or will help
implement the strategy?

Hazards Mitigated /
Goals and
Objectives
Supported

Funding Sources
and Estimated
Costs

Snohomish Co. Fire District
17
Community leaders
Granite Falls residents
Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy

Earthquakes,
flooding, severe
weather, or wildfire

<$100k

Public Works
Department

Build on existing mutual aid networks to increase hazard awareness among residents and
protect those living in vulnerable areas.
Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Granite Falls will identify populations living in areas with the highest risk of hazards, utilizing
the Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025, the Granite Falls Initial Conditions
Report, and the Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan 2017, to determine where to conduct
targeted outreach efforts. As residents in high-risk areas may have limited capacity or access
to resources that allow them to respond to hazards, Granite Falls will conduct outreach
through canvassing efforts in the highest hazard-prone areas to discuss hazard awareness,
emergency procedures, and resources available to them. Hazard awareness and emergency
preparedness information will also be shared through existing community meetings such as
churches, schools, libraries, social clubs, community events, and on social media. Leveraging
established community relationships will allow residents who may not otherwise be involved
in local government the opportunity to participate and stay informed on hazard preparedness
and emergency planning discussions. Through coordinated efforts with residents, Snohomish

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Co. Fire District 17, community leaders, and local government officials, Granite Falls will
establish trusted communication channels with residents living in vulnerable areas.

2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Long-Term Objectives

Create a list of targeted
populations living in areas with
the highest risk of hazards.

Reach and inform all residents
living in high-risk areas about
the hazards that threaten their
neighborhood through
canvassing efforts.

Inform and engage
residents living in highrisk areas about hazard
awareness and
emergency procedures
to best protect those
populations.

Reach and inform 10-20% of the
residents living in high-risk
areas about the hazards that
threaten their neighborhood
through canvassing efforts.

Hold discussions at most
community meetings about
hazard risks, evacuation
procedures, and emergency
resources.

Some community meetings
have begun discussion of
hazard risks, evacuation
procedures, and emergency
resources.
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Granite Falls will identify the targeted populations living in areas with the highest risk of
hazards, utilizing the Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025, the Granite Falls Initial
Conditions Report, and the Granite Falls Hazard Mitigation Plan 2017, then partner with
Snohomish Co. Fire District 17 to begin canvassing efforts in those neighborhoods. Next,
Granite Falls will partner with community leaders from churches, schools, libraries, social
clubs, and community events to further conversations about hazard awareness and
emergency procedures via community discussions and on social media.
Performance Measures
The number of people living in high-hazard risk areas reached through canvassing efforts,
and the number of community meetings that discuss and inform residents on emergency
procedures and hazard awareness.

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GF-06 Hazard Alert System Expansion
Granite Falls will first meet with the Snohomish County Department of Emergency
Management (DEM) to discuss changes to the interlocal agreement that explicitly
outline permissions regarding Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)
communication. Granite Falls will then develop steps for emergency response teams to
follow when contacting Snohomish County DEM to broadcast hazard messaging via
IPAWS in the event of an emergency. Important partners include Granite Falls Police
Department and Fire District 17, which are the primary responders to hazards within the
city. Next, Granite Falls will research popular social media channels to host hazard
messaging, including examining current official account followings and existing online
community groups like Nextdoor. Granite Falls will rework templates from the text alert
system for hazard messaging on social media to streamline posting. Granite Falls may
develop a social media promotion plan to promote official accounts or share information
with residents on how to enroll in the existing text alert system. Community resources,
such as the library or school newsletter, may serve as key channels for increasing
social media following. Granite Falls will also use CivicPlus auto-translation features to
automatically translate hazard messaging for social media posts in the event of an
emergency.
This strategy will aid emergency response efforts by better communicating where highrisk areas are, how to evacuate, and how residents of the Granite Falls community
should respond. All hazard risks are addressed by this strategy, and it overall promotes
social cohesion between residents and the Granite Falls government.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
Granite Falls City
Admin

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)

Granite Falls Police & Fire
Snohomish County Department
of Emergency Management
(SCDEM)
Strategy Vision/Objective

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
All

Funding
Sources and
Estimated Costs
<$100k
Low

Protect residents from the impacts of hazards by expanding and formalizing hazard alert
systems to reach all residents.
Mitigation Strategy
In the event of a hazard, it’s important that residents are informed of the present risk and how
to respond. Granite Falls' existing hazard alert system requires residents to subscribe to a
text service for direct updates from the city. However, residents who are not enrolled or
tourists unaware of the program may not receive important directions from the city if a hazard

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were to occur. Furthermore, the community survey revealed that most residents encourage
greater community education and support regarding hazards from the City of Granite Falls,
which motivates a strategy targeting stronger social cohesion and awareness.
Comprehensive and early alerts sent to residents regarding hazards can strengthen response
efforts, facilitate evacuation, and mitigate the overall impact of hazards on the community.
This strategy has three parts:
(1) Formalize an agreement with Snohomish County for explicit agreement to use the
Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) in order to reach all residents and
visitors.
(2) Leverage social media to alert residents about hazards.
(3) Use automatic translations that are available through the city’s CivicPlus subscription
within social media posts to expand reach and accessibility to the city’s non-English
speaking residents.
Granite Falls will build on their existing interlocal agreement with SCDEM to formalize IPAWS
processing between Granite Falls officials and Snohomish County in order to better reach
residents and visitors who are not enrolled in Granite Falls’ text alerts. IPAWS is an alert
system that may contact phones within a hazard area, regardless of whether people are
enrolled in alerts or not. This system requires authorization from FEMA to use, and Granite
Falls can capitalize on SCDEM’s access by requesting that hazard information be shared
through Snohomish’s IPAWS channels. The revised interlocal agreement will clarify how
Granite Falls can transmit information to SCDEM for IPAWS use, as well as what staff and
processes are required. Clear plans for how Granite Falls can access IPAWS ensure efficient
cooperation between Snohomish County and Granite Falls’ emergency response teams in the
event of an emergency.
Granite Falls will also formalize hazard messaging for social media channels and identify
popular online communities for Granite Falls’ residents to expand reach. Diversifying
communication channels can supplement the existing text alert system and raise awareness
among residents on where to find important hazard updates from the city.
Finally, Granite Falls’ subscription to CivicPlus, the emergency alert system hosting the city’s
current communication channels, allows for auto-translation of hazard messages. The rate of
foreign-born residents has almost doubled since 202347, and there is the potential for
residents or visitors to have limited English proficiency, highlighting the need for alternative
translations for hazard messaging. Identifying which languages are the second most spoken
in the city and copying the CivicPlus translations for official city posts can target gaps in
communication for vulnerable populations.

47

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/granite-falls-wa

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2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Identify active online
communities for Granite Falls
and build a social media
presence for hazard alerts.

Integrate non-English translations
into all emergency communication
channels.

Outline protocol for accessing
IPAWS through Snohomish
County and identify staff
responsible.

Maintain the SCDEM interlocal
agreement and IPAWS protocol
and update them to reflect any
changes in staffing, technology, or
county procedures.

Long-Term
Objectives
Achieve broad
community
awareness of how to
receive emergency
alerts across all
available channels,
and maintain an upto-date, tested multichannel emergency
communication
system

Implementation Plan/Actions
1. Meet with SCDEM to discuss changes to the interlocal agreement that explicitly
outline permissions regarding IPAWS communication.
2. Develop steps for emergency response teams to follow when contacting SCDEM with
hazard messaging to be broadcast with IPAWS in the event of an emergency.
Important partners include Granite Falls Police Department and Fire District 17, as
these agencies are the primary responders to hazards within the city.
3. Research popular social media channels to host hazard messaging, such as
examining current official count followings and existing online community groups like
Nextdoor. Granite Falls will rework templates from the text alert system for hazard
messaging on social media to streamline posting.
4. Develop a social media promotion plan to promote official accounts or share
information with residents on how to enroll with the existing text alert system.
Community resources, such as the library or school newsletter, may serve as key
channels for increasing social media following. Granite Falls will also utilize CivicPlus
auto-translation features for hazard messaging to copy onto social media posts in the
event of an emergency.
Performance Measures
Existing text alert system enrollment numbers, social media engagement indicators, phones
pinged in the event of an emergency, and alert times between hazard identification and
SCDEM contacted.

GF-07 Potable Water Supply Planning
In the event of a major earthquake and tsunami, Granite Falls could be isolated from the
city’s main water source, the Snohomish PUD, which is distributed from Everett. Everett
and the Snohomish PUD have indicated that there is adequate supply and storage until
2035. A redundant or independent water supply within Granite Falls could reduce
vulnerability by avoiding complete outages and over-reliance on external supplies.
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According to the community engagement survey, residents expressed concern over
having limited access to water if the community becomes isolated. Preliminary planning
on building potable supply wells should start to be compiled to achieve water
independence in the next decade.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept):
Public Works
Department

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency):
- Snohomish County Public
Utility District
- WA Dept. of Health Office of
Drinking Water
- WA Dept. of Ecology

Hazards Mitigated /
Funding
Goals and Objectives
Sources and
Supported:
Estimated
Reduces potential
Costs:
Water CIF,
impacts from drought
and islanding during
medium-high
earthquakes, tsunami, cost
landslides, or flooding
Strategy Vision/Objective: Initiate planning towards potable water independence.
Mitigation Strategy
In the event of a major earthquake and tsunami, Granite Falls could be potentially isolated
from the city’s main water source. A redundant or independent water supply within Granite
Falls could reduce vulnerability by avoiding complete outages and over-reliance on external
supplies. According to the community engagement survey, residents expressed concern over
having limited access to water if the community becomes isolated. Preliminary planning on
building potable supply wells should start to be compiled to achieve water independence in
the next decade.
Currently, Granite Falls “has an agreement with Snohomish County Public Utility District #1
(PUD) for the provision of water supply and storage” (2044 Comprehensive Plan). Water is
transported from Everett and injected into Granite Falls’ distribution system. Everett and the
Snohomish PUD have indicated that there is adequate supply and storage until 2034. The city
is currently budgeting for $1.5 million to replace several water mains containing asbestos and
improve metering infrastructure by 2030. Presently, the city is focusing on the “replacement of
the aging distribution system”. Therefore, any development of potable water supply wells will
be in the more distant future.
Costs could potentially be funded through grants or bonds. If user charges could be
decreased through reduced costs from transportation of water from Everett and
administration fees for the PUD, this could make the project more economically feasible and
generate more community support. The project would need an extensive environmental
impact review as required by SEPA to understand how it would impact the water table, critical
habitat areas, aquifer recharge areas, and the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish rivers. This is
typically a technically extensive and costly process, adding to the upfront costs of any water
supply development.

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Although the potential costs are high, access to drinking water is a human right and critical for
public health and wellbeing. Having an independent potable water supply will substantially
increase the resilience of Granite Falls to future impacts from islanding and regional water
supply shortages.
2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Initiate planning processes,
identify project manager/ point
of contact

Develop a plan with reliability
evaluation, designs, budget,
population and need projections,
water treatment plan, SEPA
requirements, etc.

Long-Term
Objectives
Build a potable
water supply system
within Granite Falls

Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Initial planning:
- Granite Falls will develop understanding of WA Dept. of Ecology and WA Dept. of
Public Health guidelines on adequate water supply as well as SEPA requirements.
- Granite Falls will contact the WA Office of Drinking Water regional planner and set up
a preplan meeting
- Identify community needs and ways to potentially provide potable water to residents
outside of Granite Falls
- Determine the capacity for the city and the water supply aquifer to provide either a
portion or all of the potable water to Granite Falls and the surrounding area in the next
decade
Prior to 2034:
- The agreement with Snohomish PUD will need to be re-evaluated as the current
potable supply is projected to last until 2034.
Performance Measures
Number of wells installed. Number of households served by locally supplied potable water.
Quality of the water supplied (measured for arsenic, as well as nitrate, turbidity,
iron/manganese, chloride, and total dissolved solids).

Mitigation Action Benefit Cost-Review Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6

High cost
Addresses high-risk hazards (earthquake)
Supports X goals: (CF-2.2, LU-10.3 IN 2044 comp plan)
significant and lasting public safety benefits for residents
Action does not benefit socially vulnerable or Underserved communities
Accounts for population growth because it is creating a new supply

1
3
3
5
0
3

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7
8

Accounts for the effect of climate change - SLR in Everett could cause
problems, flooding can lead to islanding, and drought could lead to less
water in Spada Reservoir
Action addresses hazard risks for the entire affected area of the community
TOTAL:

3
5
23

GF-08 Community Preparedness Workshops
To provide tangible emergency‑preparedness support to Granite Falls residents, local
agencies can host public workshops and training events that prepare residents for
natural disasters. These workshops may address wildfires, earthquakes, flooding,
severe weather, extended power outages, and other hazards, increasing public
awareness of how to respond during an emergency. Community training events can
also strengthen social cohesion and resilience by building connections among
residents. Workshops may be funded through Preparedness State grants or other
applicable federal or state programs.
Many partnerships offer low‑cost or no‑cost resources to support
emergency‑preparedness training. Potential partners include Snohomish County, the
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, FEMA, the American Red Cross, the Snohomish
Chamber of Commerce, the Granite Falls Community Coalition, and the Granite Falls
School District. Through these trainings and workshops, residents will be better
equipped to understand local hazards, their effects, and how they may impact Granite
Falls and the surrounding areas.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
Public Works
Department

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)

Snohomish County Fire Dept
The Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory
FEMA
American Red Cross
Granite Falls Community
Coalition
Granite Falls School District

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported

Primarily
earthquakes,
flooding, severe
weather, or
wildfire

Funding
Sources: Grant
Funding and
General Fund
Revenue
Estimated
Costs: $50,000

Hazard
preparedness
and recovery

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Strategy Vision/Objective
Engage Granite Falls residents in hazard preparedness through public outreach activities.
Mitigation Strategy

To provide tangible emergency‑preparedness support to Granite Falls residents, local
agencies can host public workshops and training events that prepare residents for natural
disasters. These workshops may address wildfires, earthquakes, flooding, severe weather,
extended power outages, and other hazards, increasing public awareness of how to respond
during an emergency. Community training events can also strengthen social cohesion and
resilience by building connections among residents. Workshops may be funded through
Preparedness State grants or other applicable federal or state programs.
Many partnerships offer low‑cost or no‑cost resources to support emergency‑preparedness
training. Potential partners include Snohomish County, the Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, FEMA, the American Red Cross, the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce, the
Granite Falls Community Coalition, and the Granite Falls School District. Through these
trainings and workshops, residents will be better equipped to understand local hazards, their
effects, and how they may impact Granite Falls and the surrounding areas.
2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Initiate contact with agencies
and community groups that will
host hazard preparedness
workshops and trainings.

Have a consistent schedule of the
trainings and workshops yearround

Hold preliminary workshops and
trainings

Long-Term
Objectives
Maintain community
awareness of hazard
preparedness
workshops and
trainings
Build lasting social
cohesion and hazard
preparedness skills

Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
First, Granite Falls will assess costs for hazard preparedness programs that offer community
workshops and apply for any relevant grants to mitigate costs. After that, Granite Falls will
partner with local agencies and community groups to host hazard preparedness workshops.
These workshops will be done locally to ensure accessibility and convenience. Workshops
will be promoted through text, social media platforms, and word of mouth through trusted
community groups and events.

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Performance Measures
This will be measured by the number of emergency preparedness workshops each year, and
by attendance numbers.

GF-09 Sustainability and Planning Standards
Granite Falls has the legal authority, through its comprehensive plan and zoning codes,
to set policies aimed at sustainable development, environmental protection, and hazard
mitigation, including wildfires, to protect public health and safety. With sustainability
ordinances in place that emphasize green and blue infrastructure and practices, future
development projects can draw on expertise to address the specific sustainability needs
required to meet city standards. Examples of sustainability frameworks for individual
building standards include LEED‑certified buildings and the International WELL Building
Institute (IWBI) standard. Additionally, wildfire protection frameworks would ensure
collaborative efforts among emergency response teams, developers, and residents to
build adaptive capacity to mitigate wildfire impacts. Implementing measures such as
defensible zones, larger setbacks from vegetation, secondary road access, and
fuel‑reduction standards can help prevent fires from spreading through the community.
Integrating sustainability practices reduces overall environmental degradation and
addresses the impacts of climate change through accelerated low‑carbon and
circular‑economy strategies, which can help Granite Falls reduce resource dependency
and vulnerabilities by building self‑sufficient pathways that increase adaptive capacity.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept):
GF Planning Dept
& City Manager’s
Office

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)
Who else outside your jurisdiction
benefits from the strategy or will
help implement the strategy?

Snohomish County Planning and
Development
Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
Wildfire &
earthquake

Funding
Sources and
Estimated Costs
City General
Fund
< $100,000

Develop sustainability and resilience standards that codify hazard mitigation into planning
documents.

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Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Implement development and planning frameworks that strengthen community resilience by
integrating sustainability practices, hazard‑resistant design, and redevelopment plans.
2-Year Objectives
- Identify plans and areas to
incorporate sustainable planning
standards.

5-Year Objectives
- Implement development and
planning frameworks into existing
guiding documents.

Long-Term
Objectives
- Promote long-term
self-sufficiency.
- Hazards are
reflected in longterm development
plans.

Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Adoption of ordinances to include blue and green practices is anticipated to occur within 3-5
years. The City may need to utilize consultants to ensure the most current/effective
strategies are incorporated into code revisions. The City can continue to monitor evolving
technologies and update/amend the code as appropriate. The City typically completes 2-5
unified development code amendments annually.
Performance Measures
Building code and comprehensive plan updates address development concerns for high
priority hazards.
Inclusion of hazard mitigation strategies in the comprehensive plan and building codes.

Mitigation Action Benefit Cost-Review Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

High cost
Addresses high risk hazard (Wildfire)
Supports X goals:
significant and lasting public safety benefits for residents
Action does not benefit socially vulnerable or Underserved communities
Accounts for population growth because it is creating a new supply
Accounts for effect of climate change
Action addresses hazard risks for the entire affected area of the community
TOTAL:

5
5
3
1
0
1
5
3
23

GF-10 Hazardous Tree Removal Program
To address risks posed by hazardous trees on public land, Granite Falls Public Works
will remove hazardous trees and branches, particularly in high wildfire-risk areas and

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near transportation routes. Local firefighters can assess the safety of trees if needed,
and this work can be done alongside regular improvements to spread the cost and labor
demands over time.
To address risks posed by hazardous trees on private land, the city will create a yard
waste drop-off program that allows people to drop off yard waste free of charge,
incentivizing the cleanup of dead and hazardous tree debris. Frequency of yard waste
drop-off to be determined.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
Public Works
Department

Partner Points of Contact
(Dept or Agency)
Who else outside your
jurisdiction benefits from
the strategy or will help
implement the strategy?
Snohomish Co. Fire District
17

Hazards Mitigated /
Goals and Objectives
Supported

Funding Sources
and Estimated
Costs

Wildfire and
Severe Weather

Low. Less than
$100k.
$100-$800 per acre
of tree
management48
State Department
of Natural
Resources financial
assistance program
for wildfire
resilience and
forest health funds
may be available

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Remove and trim unhealthy and hazardous trees to reduce wildfire risk and severe-weather
damage.

48

OSU Extension Forest. (2024). Reducing hazardous fuels on woodland property: thinning. Oregon
State University. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1573-reducing-hazardous-fuelswoodland-property-thinning.

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Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Removing and thinning hazardous trees to reduce dead or diseased trees, over-crowding,
and ladder fuels can reduce fire risk by removing fuels and reducing the risk of fallen limbs
and trees during extreme weather. To address risks from hazardous trees on public land,
Granite Falls Public Works will remove hazardous trees and branches, particularly in high
wildfire risk areas and near transportation routes. Local firefighters can assess the safety of
trees if needed, and this work can be done alongside regular improvements to spread the
cost and labor demands over time.
To address risks from hazardous trees on private land, the city will create a yard waste dropoff program in which people can drop off yard waste free of charge to incentivize cleaning up
dead and hazardous tree debris.
Long-Term
2-Year Objectives
5-Year Objectives
Objectives
Remove and trim publicly owned
Identify publicly owned
hazardous trees
hazardous trees
Reduce risk from
wildfire and damage
from severe weather
Pilot a tree debris drop-off
Implement a tree debris drop-off
along transportation
program
program
routes and in
densely populated
areas by maintaining
healthy trees on
public and private
land
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
Local firefighters will help Public Works identify publicly owned hazardous trees to prioritize
removal and trimming. Trees will be removed, especially alongside any existing maintenance
to roads or public buildings.
The city will schedule a day for tree debris drop-off and organize removal. The city will
expand the program over time if there is demand.
Performance Measures
The number of pounds of hazardous tree material removed from public and private land can
be used to measure performance.

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GF-11 Urban Greening
Although most of Granite Falls is outside the 100‑year floodplain, more frequent and
severe storms driven by climate change may strain the city’s stormwater systems and
increase localized flood risk. Expanding the use of bioswales, rain gardens, and
permeable surfaces will reduce pressure on stormwater infrastructure by slowing runoff,
increasing infiltration, and improving overall water quality. These green‑infrastructure
solutions also function as drought‑mitigation strategies by retaining water and
supporting healthier local vegetation.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)
Public Works
Department

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)
Who else outside your jurisdiction
benefits from the strategy or will
help implement the strategy?
N/A

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
Reduces flooding
and severe
weather

Funding
Sources and
Estimated Costs
Low, less than
$100k:
Rain gardens:
$5-$16 per
square foot
Bioswales:
$5.50-$24 per
square foot
Permeable
surfaces: $1.70$12 per square
foot49
Funding may be
available from
the Washington
State
Department of
Ecology and
EPA

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Reduce damage during flooding and severe weather by increasing urban greening
infrastructure, including bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable surfaces.

49

NOAA Office for Coastal Management. (2020). “Nature Based Solutions Installation and Maintenance
Costs. https://coast.noaa.gov/data/digitalcoast/pdf/nature-b,ased-solutions-installation-maintenance.pdf.

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Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
Although most of Granite Falls is not within a 100-year flood plain, increased severe storms
due to climate change could potentially strain stormwater systems within the city, causing
local flood risk. Introducing bioswales, investing in rain gardens, and increasing permeable
surfaces across the city will reduce strain on stormwater infrastructure and improve overall
water quality by absorbing water into the ground and filtering out pollutants. These solutions
also double as drought mitigation strategies, as they both retain water and improve local
vegetation. The benefit can be maximized by using native plants that improve the natural
ecosystem and require less maintenance. Granite Falls can incorporate these projects into
the 2025 Stormwater Management Action Plan with funds identified in the plan, including city
funds and the Washington State Department of Ecology Stormwater Capacity Grants
Program.50 The city may also seek grants from the EPA’s Green Infrastructure Funding.51
2-Year Objectives
5-Year Objectives
Long-Term
Objectives
Complete several rain gardens,
Initiate planning, prioritization,
bioswale, or permeable surface
Reduce damage
and securing grants.
projects.
from flooding and
severe weather by
redirecting water
more naturally.
Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
The city will identify priority areas that are susceptible to flooding or damage during severe
weather as candidates for green infrastructure. Then, the infrastructure will be designed and
used to apply for grants before being constructed. Granite Falls Public Works, which is
responsible for stormwater, is the agency in charge. This work could be completed in 5-10
years.
Performance Measures
The number of projects completed, the number of square feet converted to green
infrastructure, and the gallons of water absorbed by new green infrastructure can be used to
measure performance.

50

Washington State Department of Ecology. (n.d.). “Stormwater capacity grants program.”
https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/green-infrastructure-funding-and-technical-assistanceopportunities#federal.
51
Environmental Protection Agency. (2026). “Green Infrastructure Funding and Technical Assistance
Opportunities.” https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/green-infrastructure-funding-and-technicalassistance-opportunities#federal.

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GF-12 Reduce the Effect of Mass Earth Movement
The current stormwater management program could include greater protections for
natural habitat features that reduce the risk of mass earth movement and flooding.
Large woody debris (LWD) is defined as fallen trees and logs located in stream
channels; retaining these features helps reduce water velocity during storms and
erosion. The current stormwater management program does not mention wetlands or
LWD as stormwater management tools; including specific guidance and protections for
both is a low-effort, low-cost, natural way to support flood and severe storm resilience
while simultaneously supporting biodiversity and habitat conditions.
Hazard Mitigation Action Items
Lead Points of
Contact (Dept)

Partner Points of Contact (Dept
or Agency)

Public Works
Department

Washington State Department of
Ecology

Hazards
Mitigated / Goals
and Objectives
Supported
Mass Earth
Movement and
Flooding

Funding
Sources: Grant
Funding and
City Stormwater
Fund
Estimated
Costs: $50,000

Strategy Vision/Objective
Long-term objective and vision for the strategy
Protecting the area’s natural ecology enables long-term, sustainable, and low- to no-cost
solutions to mass earth movement, flooding, and channel migration. Although the city
experiences minimal flood risk, establishing protections for these natural features within the
city's stormwater management program ensures these features can continue to provide
ecosystem services to the area.
Mitigation Strategy
Describe the program/proposed program
The current stormwater management program could include greater protections for natural
habitat features that reduce the risk of mass earth movement and flooding. Large woody
debris (LWD) is defined as fallen trees and logs located in stream channels – retention of
these features helps reduce water velocity during storms and reduce erosion. The current
stormwater management program does not mention wetlands or LWD as stormwater
management tools; including specific guidance and protections for both are low-effort, lowcost, natural way to support flood and severe storm resilience while simultaneously
supporting biodiversity and habitat conditions.

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2-Year Objectives

5-Year Objectives

Update the stormwater
management program to include
protections for wetlands and
large woody debris

Revise the program if new
guidelines are suggested by the
Department of Ecology

Long-Term
Objectives
Evaluate impact

Implementation Plan/Actions
This can provide a timeline, indicate partners, discuss implementation stages, etc. Use this to
discuss how the strategy/program will be implemented over the long term.
When the city updates its stormwater management program, it should include the
assessment and protection of wetlands and large woody debris as planned activities within
relevant sections.
Performance Measures
Successful update of the stormwater management program

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Appendix
Appendices
Appendix 1: Full HMP Online Survey
Your opinion will help improve hazard preparedness in Granite Falls! Please complete
this survey to help us identify the city's greatest hazards and develop protection
strategies.
Natural and human-made hazards can harm people, damage buildings, and disrupt the
important systems we rely on every day. Examples of these hazards include
earthquakes, wildfires, and severe weather.
Snohomish County and Granite Falls are updating their Hazard Mitigation Plan. The
section for Granite Falls is being written with help from graduate students at the
University of Washington. (More information about the full process can be found HERE.)
1) Where do you live in Granite Falls?
a) North of City Hall
b) South of City Hall
c) Near City Hall
d) West of City Hall
e) East of City Hall
2) Which three hazard events do you think are the biggest threats to Granite Falls?
a) Flood
b) Wildfire
c) Earthquake
d) Landslides
e) Disease Outbreak
f) Severe Weather
g) Dam Failure
h) Volcano
i) Hazardous Material Spill
j) Extreme Heat & Drought
k) Active Attacker
l) Plane Crash

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m) Cybersecurity Attack
3) What are the top 3 things that worry you the most in the event of a hazard?
a) Access to food/water
b) Access to medicine/healthcare
c) Not being able to evacuate
d) Not being able to get back to Granite Falls
e) Being separated from your family
f) Losing your Granite Falls home/business
g) Other:
4) Following a hazard event, do you have enough supplies (e.g., food, medicine,
water) at home in case you become isolated and local resources are
unavailable?
a) Yes, I have supplies for a few days.
b) Yes, I have supplies for a week or more.
c) No, I do not have supplies.
5) If you are away from Granite Falls and can’t get back, do you have a safe place
to stay?
a) Yes.
b) No.
If yes, please explain. What type of safe place? A public shelter or staying
with a nearby friend/relative?
6) What do you think the City of Granite Falls could do to help with hazards?
(Choose up to 3)
a) Provide more community education and support
b) Take more steps to prevent damage
c) Improve emergency response plans
d) Fix or improve roads, buildings, or other public spaces
e) Work more with county and state agencies
7) Optional: Please share any other ideas or concerns related to hazards in Granite
Falls.

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