Mercer Island's Vision Statement
Introduction
The Growth Management Act, Vision 2020, Destination 2030 and related policies have ushered in a wide range of new planning options, challenges and opportunities. Like other jurisdictions throughout the region, Mercer Island must periodically engage in a comprehensive review of its policies and their relationship to state and regional planning mandates. This process provides the opportunity to identify and reaffirm the community’s long held values. It also offers a forum for policies to be updated and assimilated to function as a whole.
A Vision Statement is an essential ingredient in successful comprehensive community policy planning.
Essentially, the statement should reaffirm time-tested policies or values that are generally held as positive “community trademarks” and identify others deemed relevant. Moreover, a Vision Statement should be a reflection of community aspirations. Through periodic review and refinement, it is intended to set parameters for future community activities.
The following Vision Statement is essentially the compilation of several long standing policies embodied in several existing planning documents including the Land Use Plan, Town Center Plan, Park and Open Space Plan, and the Arts and Culture Plan. Reexamining these policies implies a reexamination of the City’s overall policy base.
This Vision Statement should satisfy (at least) the following three purposes:
- City Boards, Commissions and Staff will use the Council’s explicit guidance in determining the priority and degree of evaluation of existing elements in the City’s Growth Management Act Policy & Planning Work Plan;
- City employees will be guided in the provision of quality municipal services;
- Most importantly, the Council, its advisory bodies and the community-as-a-whole will proceed with a common understanding of the quality of life values or themes that will shape our community for years to come.
“Islands can seem rather special, but then so can islanders...most people who remove themselves to islands regard themselves as having entered paradise.... Classically, a person goes to an island in much the same spirit as a person heads into exile--seeking simplicity, glorying in a world that is still incomplete and therefore full of possibilities.” ~ Paul Theroux
Community Values
Mercer Island is not an island unto itself. The community is part of a regional complex that affords housing, human services, jobs, transportation, cultural and recreational opportunities. As a partner in the ever changing world of environment, economics and politics, Mercer Island has and will continue to be an active player in regional issues. However, within this framework, Mercer Island will continue to maintain local control of all significant policy issues. Likewise, active community participation and leadership are fundamental for protecting and enhancing the values and characteristics that have shaped the quality of life and livability of Mercer Island.
In relative terms, Mercer Island is a young community. However, the City adheres to a collection of intrinsic values and has a desire to shape its own future as well as be an effective regional partner. While values can change over time, they do provide the basic foundation for a host of community actions and generally reflect the “heart and soul” of the community. The values listed below are among the community’s most important and therefore deserve special attention.
| Residential Community | Mercer Island is principally a single-family residential community, supported by healthy schools, religious institutions and recreational clubs. |
| Quality Municipal Services |
Mercer Islanders need and expect safety, efficiency and continuously improving municipal services. |
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Fiscal responsibility |
Mercer Islanders expect fiscal responsibility from their municipal services in light of limited resources and heightened competition for revenues. |
| Education is the Key | The community and its public and private institutions are committed to provide excellence in education. |
| Livability is Paramount | Our community’s values are reflected by safety and freedom from fear, physical and environmental attributes, and the cultural and recreational opportunities of our Island. This translates into the feeling that Mercer Island is “the nicest of places for everyone to live.” |
| Cherish The Environment |
Island residents see themselves as “stewards” of the island environment. In considering community decisions, protection and enhancement of trees, open spaces, clean water and air, neighborhood quiet and environmentally sensitive lands will be given high priority. |
| Sustainable Community | Mercer Island strives to be a sustainable community: Meeting the needs of the present while preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We consider the relationship between the decisions we make as a community and their long-term impacts before committing to them. We understand that our strength is dependent on an open and transparent decision-making process that takes into account the economic, environmental and social well-being of our community. |
How the Values Are Manifested
Values often are characterized by specific actions or combinations of actions. Over time these actions become local community trademarks that have a profound influence in shaping a wide range of private and public decisions. Specific actions that will continue to exemplify Mercer Island’s values include:
- Regional Role
- Community Leadership
- Environment
- Town Center
- Community Services
- Residential Land Use
- Housing
- Transportation
- Population
