About 40 people will have a chance to serve in a Town Center stakeholders group, which will provide input on the building code revision process and ensure that public opinion is given full consideration.

There will be at least four stakeholder group meetings in the coming months. The tentative schedule is:

1. An evening meeting the week of March 9.

2. A 2-day workshop starting in the afternoon on March 20 and continuing all day and into the evening on March 21.

3. An evening meeting the week of April 20.

4. An evening meeting the week of May 4.

There will also be other public meetings the week of March 9 that members are encouraged, but not required, to attend. Meetings will be managed by City staff and professional consultants.

All persons desiring to serve on the Stakeholder Group are asked to read the approved Town Center Community Engagement Strategy at: www.mercergov.org/files/TCCommunityEngagementStrategy.pdf.

On Feb. 23, the City Council approved a Town Center Community Engagement Strategy that actively seeks community input and encourages a collaborative working environment during the Development Code revision process.

A key component of the Town Center Engagement Strategy is the formation of this group, which is intended to represent a broad cross section of Island residents. In addition to the general public, its members will be drawn from community groups and will also include people (residents and non-residents) who are directly involved in Town Center businesses and development.

Members will be selected by city staff and the Council Town Center Committee (Councilmembers Jane Brahm, Dan Grausz and Benson Wong) with input from other members of the Town Center Liaison Group, which also includes three Design Commissioners and three Planning Commissioners.

Download a Stakeholders Group application, or contact Alison Van Gorp, Development Services Group Administrative Services Manager, at 206-275-7733 or alison.vangorp@mercergov.org. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on March 3 at City Hall.