March 12, 2026 update: City Council asks staff to prepare materials for November 2026 Pool Facility Ballot Measure 

During their March 6 Strategic Planning Workshop, the City Council discussed the potential Pool Facility Ballot Measure. They reviewed the proposed design for the pool facility and preliminary cost estimates. They also discussed using property taxes collected through a metropolitan park district to pay for it. We will provide more information on how a metropolitan park district would operate soon.

The City Council is interested in moving forward with a ballot measure in November 2026 to build, run, and maintain a new pool facility. They asked staff to bring draft ballot materials to a Council meeting in May or June 2026. Staff are scheduled to present draft ballot materials to the City Council at their May 11 Council meeting. Council has until the end of July to decide whether to place a measure on the November ballot for Shoreline voters to make the final decisions. 

Materials from the Council workshop include: 

• Staff report with attachments including the Shoreline Pool Facility 10% Schematic Design Booklet, Pool Facility Advisory Committee Recommendations report, and Summer 2025 Community Engagement Summary (see PDF page 59).
• Presentation slides used for Council's discussion

Next steps for this project include: 

• Monday, May 11, 2026 Council Meeting at 7 p.m.: Council Discussion of Resolution 562 - Placing a Ballot Measure on the 2026 General Election Ballot to Establish a Metropolitan Park District to Construct and Operate a Pool Facility
• Monday, June 1, 2026 Council Meeting at 7 p.m.: Potential action on Resolution 562
• Tuesday, November 3, 2026: General Election Day

Concept Plan and Preliminary Schematic Design Process

Miller Hayashi Architects and MJMA are the City’s design consultants. They have completed a design concept that was shaped by extensive community input, including a review of the draft concept plan by over 65 community members in November 2025. The facility is designed to be 48,000 square feet plus surrounding green areas and parking. The design prioritizes being accessible to all, sustainable, useful for many activities, enjoyable for all ages, and efficient to operate. The design includes an eight-lane, 25-yard pool with diving boards; a recreation pool with a lazy river; a hydrotherapy pool and sauna; party and classrooms; and gathering spaces. A lazy river is a winding channel of water with a slow current for water walking and floating.

Current capital cost estimates are $100 million. Current cost estimates also show about 66% cost recovery, which will keep the public pool accessible and affordable. That means that the revenue generated by the pool would cover 66% of the costs to operate and maintain the pool. The remaining 34% would need to come from other revenue sources, such as taxes.

Shoreline Pool Advisory Committee

The City Manager appointed 17 community members to serve on the Pool Facility Advisory Committee (Pool Committee) from September 2025 through February 2026. The Pool Committee’s goal was to make a recommendation to the City Manager about aspects of a pool facility funding measure that could potentially be on the November 2026 ballot. The Pool Committee reflects the diversity of the Shoreline community, including both swimmers and non-swimmers.  

The City Manager reviewed the Committee’s recommendation before providing an update to City Council in March 2026.

Public Engagement

This project builds on years of public input and previous efforts to build a pool. Additionally, staff engaged with community members in 2025 through summer events and a survey, and a November Design Open House.

Project Overview  

In March 2024, the City Council directed staff to explore the possibility of a 2026 ballot measure to build, run, and maintain a new public indoor pool facility. The facility would be located just north of City Hall on the City-owned storage facility.  

This project builds on years of public input and previous efforts to build a new pool. A 2019 Parks and Pool bond measure asked voters if they wanted to fund a new 75,000 square foot pool, recreation, and community center and other park projects (see details below). A majority of voters (54%) voted “Yes,” but the bond measure did not receive the required 60% “Yes” vote needed to pass. Residents continue to express interest in a new pool that meets the community’s needs. 

The City is now exploring the possibility of a new pool-only facility that would be smaller in overall size than the facility proposed in 2019. The facility would include an 8-lane lap pool, a warmer water recreation pool, and additional features and amenities. The new facility would not include sport courts and other gym spaces. Spartan Recreation Center would continue to be the City’s primary recreation center, with its two gymnasiums, weight room, and several recreation multipurpose spaces.  

Background Information

King County built the former Shoreline Pool in 1971. When Shoreline became a City in 1995, the City became the pool owner. The City maintained and ran the pool for more than two decades. However, in the pool’s later years, it became clear that the pool was reaching the end of its useful life. Maintenance costs increased and it became harder to make the repairs on the aging equipment.  

In anticipation of eventually needing to close the pool, the City conducted a feasibility study on building a new pool facility in 2017. The City also sought community input and heard from hundreds of community members through development of the 2017-2023 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan and other outreach. Most people expressed interest in a new pool facility. 

Through a concept design process that involved input from a community advisory committee, the City Council decided to place a Parks and Pool bond measure on the November 2019 ballot. The bond measure asked Shoreline voters if they wanted to fund a new 75,000 square foot pool, recreation, and community center, in addition to funding for redevelopment of four parks. Although the measure received a majority “Yes” vote (54%), it did not receive the required 60% “Yes” vote needed to pass a bond measure. 

Following the failed bond measure, the Council made the difficult decision to close the Shoreline Pool in the fall of 2021. However, the Shoreline Pool was Permanently Closed in the fall of 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This left a gap in access to pool activities for Shoreline community members. 

In 2023, the City participated in the North King County Regional Aquatic Centers Feasibility. This study explored partnership opportunities with neighboring jurisdictions to build a joint aquatics center. Unfortunately, no partnerships appeared to be viable at this time for a variety of reasons. 

The 2024-2030 Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Public Art Plan includes the following Strategic Action Initiative: “Continue to pursue opportunities to provide access to aquatic and recreation facilities for residents.”