Shoreline's $88M Pool Levy Appears Headed For November Ballot

SHORELINE, WA — The Shoreline City Council appears poised to send an $88.1 million bond measure to voters to build a new pool and community center. The Council will likely vote on the matter at the end of July, just a few days shy of the deadline to place the measure on the November ballot.

The proposed aquatic center would be located at 17828 Midvale Ave North and include an eight-lane lap pool, room for 500 spectators, and a 6,000 square-foot community space. There would also be two gyms, an exercise room and jogging track, and rooms for classes and to rent, according to city plans.

The total size would be about 75,000 square-feet, and construction would likely begin in 2021.

The aquatic center would replace the Shoreline Pool, which was built in 1971 and is costing the city lots to maintain. Apart from significant renovations, the city wants to get rid of the pool's boiler because it accounts puts out 92 percent the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

If approved, property owners would see a jump in taxes, but only temporarily. The aquatics center bonds would be paid off over the course of 20 years, but during the first two years, property owners will still be paying the 2006 parks and open spaces bond measure. Here are the current estimates for how much the taxes would increase after November through 2022:

The City Council will likely vote on the aquatics center proposal on July 29. The deadline to submit measures for the November King County ballot is Aug. 6. The aquatics center is up for discussion on the June 24 Council meeting agenda.