We're building a community of engaged Shoreline residents who use advocacy, social connection, and creative partnerships to make Shoreline the most liveable city in Washington.
The future we are building is:
Green. And so we push the city to be aggressive and creative in meeting its climate goals and becoming a leader for our region.
Affordable. And so we demand policies that create abundant and fair housing and services, ensure equity, and support small businesses.
Mobile. And so we advocate for infrastructure and policy that supports walking, biking, transit and equitable, accessible mobility.
Engaged. And so we make it easy for Shoreliners to understand, engage with, and effect change in the city they call home.
Joyful. And so we create opportunities for connection, fun, and inspiration in rediscovering the community and the place we share.
Join US! Our events are FREE and open to all
** This event is AT CAPACITY! Please join the wait list and we'll let you know if space becomes available **Join a conversation with Andrew Hou, founder and owner of Uplift Climbing; Nathan Daum, Shoreline's Economic Development Program Manager, Lara Grauer of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, and Jennifer Shelton of the Washington State Small Business Development Center for a discussion on the role of policy and advocacy in shaping Shoreline's small business environment.
Monday, January 27, 6-8pm
Uplift Climbing
17229 15th Ave NE
Our regular super-fun monthly-ish Happy Hour, preceded by a casual and OPTIONAL round-table workshop focusing on personal storytelling for advocacy. Come find out how to turn your personal lived experience and perspective into an effective advocacy tool!Sound boring? Just come at 7, hang out with your neighbors, and raise a glass to walkable, bikeable communities, abundant housing, and FUN!
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Workshop: 6pm
Happy Hour 7-9pm
Ridgecrest Public House
520 NE 165th St
Ask an Architect-DeveloperMeet Cary Westerbeck, Bothell-based architect and small-scale developer, for a conversation about designing, financing, and building liveable communities. Bring your questions!Sunday, February 23, 2-3:30pm
Shoreline Tool Library
16610 Aurora Ave NAbout Cary
Architect and small developer Cary Westerbeck grew up in the Seattle area and started his architecture practice in 2009. Over 10 years ago Cary became intrigued with the Architect as Developer model and began working towards his first project. In 2019 Cary completed his first mixed-use building, Fir Street Flats, in downtown Bothell, and is now working with partners Jared Banks, AIA, and GC Brent Schropp in their development company TenOne20 LLC. A member of CNU, Strong Towns, and ULI, Cary is an advocate for urbanism, abundant housing, and compact, walkable, equitable communities. Cary currently serves on the Bothell Planning Commission, and was previously a board member for Habitat for Humanity Snohomish County. Cary earned a B.A. from UW Bothell in 1999, and a Master of Architecture from UW Seattle in 2004, earning his architecture license in 2010.
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Urbanist Shoreline is a community group based in Shoreline, WA.
Website (c) 2024, Urbanist Shoreline.
About US
We're a group of Shoreline residents who believe that our city can be welcoming, accessible, connected, safe, green, and joyful. We believe civic life is for everyone, and that getting involved in your community shouldn't require any special skills. We believe in fighting hard for the liveable city we want to see, and in having fun and making friends along the way!
How we work
1. We advocate directly at the city, state, and county level for infrastructure and policies that will make Shoreline more liveable and more equitable. We deliver testimony and write letters, meet with decisionmakers, and build, train, and strengthen a constituency of actively engaged residents to make change. We compile data and stories from across our community and beyond to help build the case for urbanist policies.2. We create experiences and build community in support of a liveable Shoreline. Civic life should never be lonely, so we plan walking and biking tours and low-key social events (really just hangouts) that celebrate community, help create a sense of place, and show the possibilities in our city. Have an idea? We highly encourage others to lead experiences and events that help share unique perspectives.3. We support and amplify the work of others in our space.
We collaborate closely with other organizations and individuals in our region leading the way on safe streets, affordable housing, climate action, accessibility and more. We help get the word out about campaigns we are aligned with but are not leading. We share resources, opportunities, and gossip, with an aim to keep it loose, keep it nimble, and keep it collaborative.
Sign up for our every-other-week email for updates about social, advocacy, and community opportunities. We will never spam you!
Urbanist Shoreline is a community group based in Shoreline, WA.
Website (c) 2024, Urbanist Shoreline.
Volunteer Leadership
Urbanist Shoreline was started by Shoreline neighbors who wanted a way to connect with others who share our vision of a move liveable, more vibrant and more equitable future for the city we call home.Have ideas and/or time to spare? We are actively looking for others to join our volunteer leadership team!Contact us
Katie Lorah grew up in Seattle and moved to Shoreline in 2021 after nearly 20 years on the East Coast. She's spent her career at community organizations advocating for parks & open spaces, sustainable transportation, and civic engagement. She is currently the chair of Shoreline's Parks, Recreation, Cultural Services & Tree Board.
Tom Lang moved to Shoreline
with his family in 2024 after living 13 years in North Seattle. He envisions Shoreline streets that are safe for kids to play in, corner stores in every neighborhood, and neighbors who won’t be priced out. With a decade of experience in grassroots community organizing, he’s ready to make that happen.
Jonathan Garner lives in the Echo Lake neighborhood and enjoys riding his bike around our quiet little city. He's been a community organizer and city planner personally and professionally for a combined 20+ years, from small town revitalization to large city urban design. His dream for Shoreline is a charming city full of activity and connected through greenways, bikeways, civic spaces, neighborhoods, and friends.
Laura Zuchlewski is a Hillwood resident. She wants to help Shoreline build strong and connected local communities. Her dream for Shoreline is to become an affordable, walkable and vibrant city. During the day she's digging around datasets and in the evening she is usually digging in the dirt or has her nose in a book.
Sign up for our every-other-week email for updates about social, advocacy, and community opportunities. We will never spam you!
On Monday, December 16, the City Council will be taking action on the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Development Code update. As part of the update, the Council is considering an amendment proposed by Mayor Chris Roberts that would eliminate mandatory parking minimums in all new developments citywide. This is a smart and progressive policy that would streamline the permitting process, increase housing affordability, and allow for the preservation of more green space.The Council needs to hear from a range of voices on this issue: Shoreline residents, business owners, urbanists, and environmentalists. If you’re able, please sign up to testify in person or online, or submit a public comment ahead of the 16th. You can sit with us at the meeting!Read our FACT SHEET to learn more about this critical issue and how to add your voice
Wait, what is Urbanist Shoreline?
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Get Involved
Come to an Event!
It turns out, the best way to build community is in person! We try to have a variety of free public events each month to meet our neighbors and talk about what's interesting to people. We'd love to see you at our next Urbanist Shoreline Happy Hour, advocacy workshop, or bike ride!
Volunteer to Watch and Summarize Public Meetings
There's a lot going on in our city, we're all volunteers with busy lives, and we want to make sure we're paying attention to the issues we care about, even if we're not always in the room. We’re assembling a small group of volunteers to regularly (like once a month) tune into and summarize City Council and Planning Commission meetings.This is a great low-commitment way to dip your toes into local civic engagement - you can stream the meetings from home, and we will train you in what to watch for.
Join the Conversation on Discord
Yes, it’s another app. But it’s actually a pretty great way to have realtime conversations, share links and ideas, and just generally gossip about urbanist stuff.
Have Another Idea? Let Us Know!
We're super open to collaborating on events, hearing ideas, getting coffee to talk about your neighborhood, etc. Let's talk!
Sign up for our every-other-week email for updates about social, advocacy, and community opportunities. We will never spam you!
Resources
Urbanist Shoreline's Self-Guided Bike Infrastructure Tour
Based on our popular November 2024 bike infrastructure tour, this cheat sheet is your guide to some of the most important recent and upcoming bike infrastructure in the city. Route is approximately 12 miles long.
Urbanist Shoreline's Quick Advocacy Tips Guide
Our top tips for making your voice heard at City Council & Planning Commission meetings and beyond. Includes links to Council agendas and several key planning documents. Email us if you have questions or want to see sample testimony.
Sign up for our every-other-week email for updates about social, advocacy, and community opportunities. We will never spam you!