The Des Moines City Council meeting on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, tackled subjects ranging from regional funding initiatives to local community concerns.

King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn’s comments on a proposed parks levy preceded a discussion about the potential benefits and financial implications for Des Moines.

Simultaneously, the council heard contentious public comments surrounding a short-term rental property, dubbed “The Yacht Club,” and its impact on neighborhood tranquility and safety.

Lastly, the council deliberated and ultimately approved a three-year contract for the popular Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival, navigating concerns around equitable non-profit rentals and the value of long-term community partnerships.

King County Parks Levy

King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn spoke during Public Comments, sharing all the ways that he believes a new six-year parks levy will benefit Des Moines. He said Des Moines will receive more funds than in a previous iteration of the bill, and also that it will cost taxpayers less than previously planned. It will provide more return for south King County cities than previous parks levies, but voters would have to approve a tax increase to make it happen. 

Quinn shared that while this is not as equitable as it could be for south-end cities, it is a huge improvement over past allocations of county parks dollars. Quinn was not giving a formal presentation, and did not have enough information to answer many of the specific questions asked by Council. He did say that a significant portion of the tax dollars would go to parks operations and maintenance, rather than expanding or improving parks and services. Inflation has greatly increased the cost of the status quo. He added that $55 million is earmarked for completing the Lake to Sound Trail. 

The council discussed this levy, trying to decide if they should write a letter of support or not. City Manager Katherine Caffrey said she would like to get more information on specifics, and also get some of the numbers in writing that Quinn had shared in his comment. Once more details are received and the numbers clarified, council will again discuss whether this is something they want to express formal support for. There was also concern that voters have reached a level of fatigue around taxes and will not support this.

Public Comments Debate “The Yacht Club”

Public Comments included concerns over the city’s short-term rental policy, specifically regarding a privately owned pool that is rented to the public by the hour. The owners of this pool, called “The Yacht Club” spoke enthusiastically about how much the community loved having a pool like theirs in the neighborhood. They put together a petition of people who support keeping the pool as a short-term rental.

This was followed by two neighbors of the rental pool, who said living next to them was like living next door to an outdoor Chuck E. Cheese or an elementary school during permanent recess, with every hour another party singing yet another round of “Happy Birthday,” kids melting down when the time comes to leave, and lots of increased traffic as another party arrives and departs on the residential street. They said they have to keep their windows closed to block out the noise, and avoid yard work on days when partiers are using the smoky outdoor fire-pit.

One speaker said another neighbor sold his house after his many complaints to the city about the pool went unanswered. Speakers also brought up safety concerns regarding the pool, as the owners do not have to report to the health department, nor is a lifeguard on duty. They said a better option is Mt. Rainier Pool, which is safer and accessible to everyone.

3-Year Contract For Blues & Brews Festival

After a presentation and lengthy debate, Council voted 5–1 in support of a three year contract with the Rotary Club of Des Moines & Normandy Park to continue hosting the Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival at Des Moines Beach Park. Every councilmember expressed support and enthusiasm for the popular festival, but several had issues with some of the terms of the contract. 

Only Councilmember JC Harris voted against it in the end, after stating that there needs to be a standardized process for all non-profit rentals. He added that he would support the contract if it was just for one year. Councilmember Yoshiko Grace Matsui argued that the city should absolutely lock in these positive events for three years, and that the ongoing win/win relationship between the city and the Rotary Club is more valuable than the details being bickered over.

The contract ensures a very significant discount to the Rotary Club, in exchange for more active promotion of the city at the event. In addition, previous Blues festivals used the park space for three full days, with setup on Friday and takedown on Sunday. However, the new contract specifies that the festival will be set up and taken down all on Saturday, leaving park facilities free for other renters on Friday and Sunday. 

Mellow DeTray is a Seattle native who has spent the last 16 years raising her family in Burien. She has volunteered at many local establishments over the years, including the Burien Library, Burien Actors Theatre, and Hot Feet Fitness. After working for 10 years at Burien Community Center, she moved on to teaching fitness classes and to work the front desk of a Burien yoga studio. For many years Mellow kept a moderately popular cooking & lifestyle blog, and she had a brief stint in political journalism during a local election. Clear and informative writing has always been a side hobby of Mellow’s and she looks forward to bringing you unbiased coverage of City Council meetings.