Emily Shea briefed the council on the coming state legislative session, budget pressures and Covington’s adopted advocacy priorities. She also outlined federal funding opportunities and the city’s planned outreach to congressional offices.

The council adopted revised 2027-28 human services funding after debate over the Storehouse’s proposed reduction and the commission’s agency recommendations. The package set the Storehouse amount at $34,800 and reduced or removed several other awards.

Covington officials said the proposed 2027 budget anticipates modest growth, but recurring expenses are expected to outpace revenues by 2028. They pointed to public-safety costs, state fiscal uncertainty and the need to monitor reserves and revenue options.

A council member proposed moving $35,000 from the Human Services Commission budget to direct ongoing support for The Storehouse. Members discussed reporting requirements and future funding growth, but no formal vote is recorded.

The Covington City Council approved a six-month extension of its moratorium on battery energy storage system facilities, through April 2027. Staff said draft regulations were nearing review; public commenters raised safety concerns, including claims about fire runoff and water contamination elsewhere.

Covington officials reviewed department budgets, proposed projects and a forecast through 2032 at a Saturday workshop. Members debated reserve use, public safety costs and new requests; the transcript ends without a final vote adopting the budget.

Covington’s Community Development Director proposed a one-year trial of an AI tool for plan review and workflow tasks, while describing privacy and accuracy safeguards. The department also cited a future shoreline plan update expected to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

City staff estimated a 9.9% increase in the King County Sheriff’s Office contract and said body-worn cameras are billed separately. The Police Chief also described a possible $150,000-a-year drone response service, which the council did not approve at the workshop.

Covington officials discussed possible e-bike restrictions but said state law limits city authority, particularly for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. Enforcement, safety and cost concerns shaped the discussion; council members generally favored monitoring the state session before deciding whether to pursue local rules.

The council approved Covington's 2027 legislative priorities, including a possible $1.5 million to $2 million request for Jenkins Creek Park Phase Two and continued support for State Route 18 funding. Priorities also address city revenue flexibility, public-defense costs, housing mandates and utility capacity.

Council approved a lease-exchange agreement with EZ Fiber Texas LLC to use existing city conduit in exchange for dedicated dark-fiber strands and connectivity to nine city facilities; staff said the city retains conduit ownership while EZ installs and maintains fiber.

A volunteer with Snoqualmie Valley Responsible Energy warned council about large battery energy storage and related solar proposals, said BlackRock plans to seek FSEC review rather than county SEPA, and urged residents to comment to the State Department of Ecology before Oct. 1 using an online tool.

City staff and developer representatives outlined two options for opening Lake Pointe Boulevard — final paving by Oct. 15 with a ~21-day cure before acceptance, or an interim opening with later paving — and warned of heavy haul traffic (250–300 dirt trucks/day) during grading. The maintenance agreement was introduced but not voted on before a recess.

Republic Services told the Covington City Council that a new 12‑year contract (effective July 1) brings expanded recycling and organics options, customer-service commitments and an inflation‑indexed rate; the company said factors such as King County disposal fees and new state recycling/organics laws are driving recent bill increases.

City staff presented a midyear status report on the council’s January summit directives, including implementation of a public safety sales tax tied to House Bill 2015, an awarded but not-yet-received grant, options to expand the Community Cares program and policy work on license-plate readers and battery energy storage systems.

Teresa Betold of Snomi Valley for Responsible Energy urged the Covington City Council to press Washington legislators for seven changes to how battery energy storage systems (BES) are sited and regulated, including wider notice, mandatory setbacks from vulnerable facilities, independent testing and requiring local/tribal consent for state approvals.

At the June 9 Covington City Council meeting, Scott Jones of Brookfield Residential said Lake Point’s first neighborhood is nearly finished from a lot-development perspective, with model homes and initial home sales targeted for spring 2027; commercial buildout remains contingent on CenterCal agreements and market conditions.

The Covington Planning Commission recommended that council consider ordinance updates to align the municipal code with state House Bill 1998 to enable co‑living housing; commissioners also heard presentations and community input on siting and policy questions for battery energy storage systems.

After a study identifying about $92.7 million in needed transportation capacity projects through 2044, the council adopted an ordinance and resolution updating the city's transportation impact fee to roughly $722 per trip (about $7,276 per single-family home), moving fees into effect by adopting the rate study in substantial form.

City staff reviewed three franchise applications (HyperFiber, Ziply/ZipLink, NFC Northwest), explained the city's franchise process, federal/state limits on denying access to telecommunications providers, a five‑year 'no‑cut' repaving policy, and permit/inspection gates; franchise representatives answered questions about build-out timing, pole use and trenches; council took no final franchise votes this meeting.

After a public commenter raised survey and boundary concerns, the council moved Station by Vintage’s right-of-way, stormwater covenant and tree-maintenance agreement from consent to new business, discussed construction deficiencies and off-site swale work, and authorized the city manager to sign agreements that place long-term maintenance responsibility on the developer.

The council authorized the city manager to use up to $389,609 to increase right-of-way acquisition funds for the Southeast 256th Street culvert replacement and widening project (CIP 1145), citing updated appraisals and temporary construction easement costs.

Emily Shea told the Covington council that the 2026 state session produced a supplemental budget with transport and capital grants; Covington secured $375,000 toward an aquatic center liner replacement and the legislature adopted modest local tax-authority measures that could benefit cities.

Covington City Council voted April 14 to extend a six-month moratorium on permitting industrial-scale battery energy storage systems within city limits to give the planning commission and staff more time to study safety, zoning and emergency-response standards.

Mark Rosenberger, speaking for the Remington Homeowners Association, asked Covington to share information and mobilize residents to oppose a King County development application that would convert 376 acres at Drews Glen Golf Course into a gated housing community, warning of environmental, septic and traffic risks.