After extensive public comment and council discussion running close to midnight, the Issaquah City Council made it official on June 4 — plastic bags will be banned at all retail establishments in Issaquah.
The growing Eastside city joins Edmonds, Bellingham and Mukilteo in eventually eliminating plastic grocery bags from large and small retailers — with a few exceptions, such as bags for produce, meat, prepared and bulk food at groceries. Mercer Island City Council will discuss the issue at its June 16 planning session with an eye toward moving ahead towards a possible ban.
Numerous residents and environmental concerns, along with representatives from the Washington Restaurant Association and the Northwest Grocery Association, made their support for the ban known during public comment at the start of the Issaquah City Council meeting Monday night. On the flip side, plastics industry .
In the end, however, the council majority approved a plastic bag ban in Issaquah, on a 5-2 majority. The bill will become effective in two phases, with businesses over 7,500 square feet required to eliminate plastic bags by March 1, 2013, while smaller businesses have an extra 12 months to comply with the new city regulation.
Mercer Island City Council is considering a similar ban, raised by Mayor Bruce Bassett at a council planning session in January earlier this year. City Manager Rich Conrad noted in the current legislative session to ban them statewide and advised the council to wait for the legislative process in Olympia to run its course.
Bills were introduced in both chambers of the legislature weren't voted out of their respective committees.
City Council agreed to revisit the idea of banning plastic grocery bags on Mercer Island at the June mini-planning session and possibly ask the city to investigate how the regulation could work.
Less enthusiastic were councilmembers Mike Cero and Jane Brahm, who said she wanted to speak with four local retailers — specifically Island Books — about a proposed ban. City Manager Rich Conrad said the focus on the bags often obscures other environmental impacts from modern shopping habits — specifically driving a vehicle to the grocery store. "If there's community support for the ban fine, but I don't want to get out in front of it," Conrad said.
Let's not add one more layer of unneeded regulations to Mercer Island. And how do we keep our newspaper dry in the driveway? Jerry-
proposed plastic bag ban. We who live here should tell our City Council that we want no part of this interference in our lives including the proposed nonsensical "Road Diet"- and the unwholesomeness of "driving to the grocery store". Jerry
It seems that in every case, the folks against change suggest the people (elected or not) offering the change are some combination of 1) incompetent 2) wasteful 3) unprepared 4) selfish 5) decidedly against the will of the people 6) too "new" to Mercer Island 7) changing for change's sake 8) ignorant 9) ego-driven 10) interfering 11) insincere 12) unwilling to just keep things the same.
Ray is incorrect- as to "a large number of residents here have shown a distinct desire to resist change of all types, size and purpose" the many I've known as friends and clients have all welcomed meaningful change that enhances the life we are so very priviledged to live on Mercer Island. Jerry-
Ray- You comparative newcomers seem to have a hard time remembering just how Mercer Island used to be. So many good parts remaining are the result of citizens demonstrating "change resistance" to ugly builder houses, zoning violations (the West Mercer "Castle'), the Merrimount "Solution", etc.. Let's keep up this constructive dialog- after you flesn out your Profile. Jerry-
Ray- This time you're right. With so many foreclosed and/or underpriced homes on the local RE Market, it makes no sense to build a new home. Remodeling is the way to go. And Kendall- the so-called "Road Diet" would be no more effective if it were extended South at great public expense- to say nothing of disruption. Jerry-
Ray- I hadn't heard that. While we use the Seattle Transit Tunnel a lot and find it very useful indeed in getting through this high density area, I doubt it would prove to be an improvement to our Island Crest Way which is really not considered "high-density"- even at rush hour. Jerry-
If I had known they were discussing facilities, I would have come. Anything else interesting at the meeting?
Plastic bags work fine, are easily and usually recycled. Let's not add one more layer of unneeded regulations to Mercer Island. And how do we keep our newspaper dry in the driveway- especially in this rainy season? J-
The board's message, LOUD and CLEAR, was to attend their June 26 survey presentation at 8 a.m. in the community center, AND the retreat that follows shortly after at 9:45 a.m. at the Mercer Island High School library. The retreat will apparently begin with a presentation by Mahlum architects that will involve possible changes to the Megablock/North 40s Campus. Superintendent Plano was pretty emphatic that, if you care about what the school district is planning on facilities/buildings moving forward, You WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THESE MEETINGS.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018381546_bellevuetunnel08m.html
Seems as though one thing leads to another on these PatchBlogs. Capable PatchEditor Kendall can probably sort it all out- somehow. Jerry-
As usual, the leftists miss the mark. I'd like to see compost-able bags instead of a ban. But the nanny state freaks march on...
Glen- Good point, well put. It's a no-brainer to put our plastic bags aside to reuse them. Jerry-