Mountlake Terrace unveils branding, wayfinding and placemaking plan; council approves staged rollout

Mountlake Terrace officials on May 28 reviewed a consultant'led branding and placemaking package aimed at guiding economic development and wayfinding around the new light-rail station.

Ryan Doss, the city's economic development manager, introduced Rachel Aziz of All Together, who presented deliverables including two taglines ("connected to everywhere, rooted right here" and "become part of our story"), a refined color palette and type system, six district sub-marks and a proposed family of wayfinding signs and banners tailored to Town Center, gateway areas, Lake Ballinger and Melody Hill.

Design options included two signage directions: a lower-cost, timber-forward concept that will require periodic maintenance, and a higher-upfront-cost Corten-steel-and-stone option designed for longevity and lower long-term upkeep costs. Consultant materials also showed modular streetscape ideas, intersection/crosswalk art for low-cost safety and placemaking impact, expanded utility-box art, and a prioritized list of sign locations (gateway points and high-pedestrian corridors near the transit center).

Place-based activations proposed in the packet ranged from a mural series featuring residents and utility-box art to community totems crafted by Indigenous artists, a public-art "MLT blocks" program, and a playful rubber-duck motif for event swag and occasional activations. Consultants also recommended a youth engagement toolkit so staff can solicit meaningful input from ages 14'24.

In discussion, councilmembers repeatedly praised the approach while urging careful prioritization and attention to cost and maintenance: several suggested funding signage and placemaking through capital budgets, grants, the city's 1% for the arts fund and partnerships with private developers. Council members also asked staff to ensure placemaking and design guidance are coordinated with public works, parks, planning and arts commissions to avoid piecemeal implementation and to protect the city's visual identity from being overly cartoonish.

Staff said remaining deliverables include a marketing strategy, implementation road map and training materials for staff; the consultant expected a handoff to city staff in July and recommended phased implementation tied to capital budgets and grant opportunities.