Issaquah is a gem of a city - Its future is in our hands

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Nestled in between Tiger, Cougar, and Squak Mountains, Issaquah provides some of the best quality of life of any city in the region.  Our connection with nature is a central aspect of what makes Issaquah a great place to live.  As Issaquah grows and welcomes more people to this community, we must be mindful of the natural beauty in and around this city.  There are examples where we have been successful in balancing growth and quality of life, and there are instances where we lost sight of balancing community needs with development.  To sustain this city, we must put community needs first.  We can and must  find ways to support growth and maintain our strong connection with our natural environment.
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Community is about having places to come together and share the city's common spaces and common causes.  Civic celebrations such as Salmon Days provide a focal point for people in the region to come to Issaquah and participate in this great festival.  Front Street provide a link to "old" Issaquah, and the ties to our past must be maintained.  As we manage the transition of Issaquah from a quaint town to a thriving city, care must be taken to ensure that the underlying charm of that town is preserved.  Without thoughtful planning and engagements, we can easily and inadvertently destroy that charm of Issaquah and undermine our quality of life.
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The Puget Sound area is growing, and King County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country.  This is not surprising give the robust high tech industry and the beautiful surrounding area.  Continued prosperity will only occur if we thoughtfully balance the needs of growth and the needs of people that live in this community today.  We shouldn't try to curtail growth, but we must make sure that we do not adversely affect people in our community.  Traffic, noise, dust, and destruction of our natural environment do not have to be the by-product of growth.  Sensible and managed growth must focus first on maintaining our quality of life.