MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — It’s time to move that car off the lawn. The Mountlake Terrace City Council adopted new rules earlier this month requiring vehicles in residential neighborhoods to be parked on a paved surface.
To help residents make the move, the city is offering free driveway permits until Sept. 8 for residents who need to build or expand driveways to meet the new rules. The Council requested the grace period to help residents make the transition.
The council adopted the new rules because materials from vehicles like oil and grease can seep into the ground when the vehicle is parked. When the vehicles are driven across grass or gravel, the same materials can spill on the street or into neighboring properties, city officials said.
The unpaved driveways also “can appear unsightly and lead to a clutter of junk vehicles,” according to a city news release.
The new rules also reduce the number of parked vehicles allowed in a backyard from four to two vehicles. Residents can keep an unlimited amount of cars in the backyard if they are inside of an enclosed, legal structure.
In addition, one or two recreation vehicles may be parked on maintained grass in a side yard or backyard.
A permit is required to construct or expand a driveway or parking pad, city officials said. After Sept. 8, an applicant would pay a permit fee based on the construction value of the project.
Besides asphalt and concrete, residents are encouraged to use environmentally-friendly products such as “grasscrete” for driveways, city officials said. “Ribbon” driveways — two paved strips with grass in between — are possible too.
A brochure about alternative driveway design is available from city hall and on the city’s Web site, www.cityofmlt.com. An application for a driveway permit also is available from city hall or the Web site.
For information on driveway construction, contact Kevin Kinsella, city engineer, at 425-744-6272.
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