At A Glance

Community Overview 
Mountlake Terrace’s location provides easy access to many regional attractions as well as local employment centers. Three transit lines serve Mountlake Terrace providing faster and easier commutes to Seattle and other neighboring cities, as well as the University of Washington, Washington State University (Everett Branch) and Edmonds Community College. As the southern gateway to Snohomish County, the fastest growing county in Washington State, Mountlake Terrace will be the first northbound light rail stop in Snohomish County. 

Encouraging economic development, while at the same time enhancing the city’s quality of life and concern for the environment, Mountlake Terrace has adopted a Sustainability Strategy, Economic Vitality Strategy and Transit Service Strategy. Community well-being and public safety are also priorities; residents are served by an outstanding and diligent Police Department, an excellent recreational system, and four hospital systems within a 10-mile radius .

Mountlake Terrace’s 260+ acres of parks and playfields offer a variety of recreational opportunities including its popular Recreation Pavilion, nine neighborhood parks, three sports complexes, and 14 sports fields. The city maintains miles of trails, including Lakeview Trail, which connects the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center to the regional Interurban Trail. The city also hosts Tour de Terrace, a Seafair summer festival attracting thousands of people from all over the region, and Arts of the Terrace Juried Art Show, held each fall. The art show celebrated its 41st anniversary in 2019.

In 2009, the current plan won the Governor’s Smart Community Award for Livable and Vibrant Communities. Mountlake Terrace is in the process of Updating the Town Center Subarea Plan intended to invigorate and revitalize the city center and encourage development. The city is investing in new infrastructure such as roads, park improvements, utilities, new and widened sidewalks, bike lanes, street trees, new City Hall, Police Station addition, Town Center Park Plaza and Gateway Plaza (near future Light Rail Station) to ensure that it is well-positioned to facilitate investment and accommodate redevelopment and revitalization opportunities within the Town Center and near the future light rail station.