Brier, Washington

Brier, Washington
City
Location of Brier, Washington
Location of Brier, Washington
Coordinates: 47°47′04″N 122°16′28″W / 47.78444°N 122.27444°W / 47.78444; -122.27444
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountySnohomish
Founded1883
IncorporatedFebruary 11, 1965
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • MayorDale Kaemingk
Area
[1]
 • Total2.20 sq mi (5.69 km2)
 • Land2.20 sq mi (5.69 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
420 ft (128 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total6,560
 • Estimate 
(2022)[3]
6,463
 • Density3,173.95/sq mi (1,225.24/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98036
Area code425
FIPS code53-07940
GNIS feature ID1512029[4]
Websiteci.brier.wa.us

Brier is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is bordered by Mountlake Terrace to the west, Lynnwood to the north, Bothell to the east, and Lake Forest Park to the south. The population was 6,560 at the 2020 census.

History

[edit]

Brier is located in the traditional territory of several Coast Salish peoples, including the Sammamish, Snohomish, and Suquamish. The area around modern-day Swamp Creek was known as dxʷɬ(ə)q̓ ab, meaning "other side of something" and "a wide place", in the Lushootseed language.[5]

The first European-descendant settlers in the Brier area, the Salty family, arrived from Finland in 1883 and constructed a cabin to establish a Homestead Act claim. They were followed by loggers who cleared land that had already been sold to the founders of the Puget Mill Company. The first area school was built on land donated by the Salty family in September 1896 and later replaced with the Cedar Valley School in 1911.[5]: 6–7  By 1915, much of the forestland around modern-day Brier was cleared.[6]

The Brier area was known for its mink farms and later gave way to suburban ranch houses in the 1950s and 1960s.[6] The Shasta Park subdivision was created in 1924 and further developed into smaller lots by the early 1950s.[5]: 9  Brier was named for an existing road that bisected the subdivision where the community was developed in the 1950s.[7]

Brier was officially incorporated as a city on February 11, 1965, after an emergency vote following a proposal from a developer to annex the area into neighboring Mountlake Terrace.[8] Boeing engineer Richard Balser was elected as the city's first mayor and the first city hall was in the home of a local resident who rented a room to the city government for $50 per month. Brier gained approximately 1,000 residents within ten years and opened its permanent city hall and public library in 1974; a city park opened in 1976 as part of the national bicentennial celebrations.[9] The area was gradually developed into a more suburban community, growing to over 6,000 people by 1999.[6] Since its incorporation, several elected officials in Brier have been recalled or forced to resign over various misconduct allegations and convictions.[10] A new city hall opened in April 2005, replacing a leased office.[11]

Geography

[edit]

Brier is located 15 miles (24 km) north of Seattle in southern Snohomish County, bordered to the south by Lake Forest Park in King County. The cities of Mountlake Terrace and Bothell lie to the west and east, respectively.[12] The unincorporated area to the north is connected by Brier Road, which continues towards Lynnwood.[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.13 square miles (5.52 km2), all of it land.[14] The city has large lot sizes for residential homes, at a minimum of 12,500 square feet (1,160 m2) and is exclusively zoned for single-family homes.[12]

Economy

[edit]

Brier is described as a "one-store and one-restaurant town", with few businesses on its lone commercial strip.[15]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19703,093—
19802,915−5.8%
19905,63393.2%
20006,38313.3%
20106,087−4.6%
20206,5607.8%
2022 (est.)6,463[3]−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Brier ranks 68th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 6,087 people, 2,165 households, and 1,758 families living in the city. The population density was 2,857.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,103.4/km2). There were 2,220 housing units at an average density of 1,042.3 per square mile (402.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.9% White, 1.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.[2]

There were 2,165 households, of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.8% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.05.[2]

The median age in the city was 44.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 39.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.1% male and 49.9% female.[2]

2000 census

[edit]

As of the 2000 census, there were 6,383 people, 2,095 households, and 1,766 families living in the city. The population density was 2,996.6 people per square mile (1,157.0/km2). There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of 992.9 per square mile (383.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.42% White, 0.83% African American, 0.66% Native American, 7.77% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.97% from other races, and 3.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.23% of the population.[17]

There were 2,095 households, out of which 47.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.7% were non-families. 11.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.29.[17]

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.[17]

The median income for a household in the city was $73,558, and the median income for a family was $77,226. Males had a median income of $52,407 versus $37,697 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,675. About 0.8% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.[17]

Government

[edit]

The Brier city government has 19 total employees and budgeted general fund expenditures of over $4 million for 2023.[18] It derives most of its revenue from property taxes.[15] The city government has fewer staff members relative to its population than other rural cities in the Puget Sound region.[18] Former city councilmember Dale Kaemingk was appointed as mayor in July 2020 and was elected to a full four-year term in 2021.[19][20]

At the federal level, Brier is part of the 1st congressional district, represented by Democrat Suzan DelBene since 2012. The district encompasses parts of Snohomish and King counties between Arlington and Bellevue that generally lie east of Interstate 5.[21][22] At the state level, the city is part of the 32nd legislative district, which also includes Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, and portions of Edmonds and Seattle.[23] Brier is also part of the Snohomish County Council's 4th district, which includes Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, and northern Bothell.[24]

Culture

[edit]

The community holds an annual one-day event in August called SeaScare, a play on the name of Seattle's Seafair. The event includes a Porch Light Parade, contests, music and a screening of a classic movie, among other activities. It involves nautical themes, in keeping with its Seafair ties, and is supported by the small number of Brier businesses.[25][26]

Library

[edit]

Brier is part of the Sno-Isle Libraries system, which operates public libraries in Island and Snohomish counties. A permanent city library opened in November 1974 at the former city hall and replaced a bookmobile service.[9][27] Brier residents approved a 20-year bond issue in 1995 to finance construction of a new library with twice as many books and more computers. The new library building opened on May 3, 1996, and has 2,980 square feet (277 m2) of space.[28][29]

Education

[edit]

Most of Brier lies within the boundaries of the Edmonds School District, which operates public schools for most of South Snohomish County, including the cities of Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Woodway. The district has 41 total schools and an enrollment of over 20,400 students as of the 2022–23 school year.[30] The Edmonds School District has one elementary school and one middle school within Brier; high school students are within the zone for Mountlake Terrace High School.[31][32] The southeastern corner of the city lies within the Northshore School District, which also serves Bothell and Kenmore.[33][34]

Infrastructure

[edit]

Transportation

[edit]

The city lies between Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 405 to the east, which are accessed through Mountlake Terrace and Bothell, respectively. Brier has several local roads that connect with regional highways and a total of 28.5 miles (45.9 km) of roads, predominately residential and low-volume streets, within the city limits. The city has no state routes or railroads.[35] Community Transit operates one bus route through Brier that connects to Mountlake Terrace station, a Link light rail station and bus hub, during peak hours.[36] The agency has one park-and-ride lot along the bus route.[35] An on-demand microtransit service, Metro Flex, was launched in Brier and neighboring communities by King County Metro in September 2024.[37][38]

Utilities

[edit]

Brier is served by the Alderwood Water and Wastewater District, which purchases its tap water from the City of Everett's system that is sourced from Spada Lake.[39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "QuickFacts: Brier city, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Washington: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  4. ^ "Brier, Washington". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. September 10, 1979. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Brier: We Haven't Changed...Much (PDF). City of Brier. 2020. p. 4. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Slivka, Judd (June 12, 1999). "Here, it's all play and no work". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. D1.
  7. ^ Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. p. 17. ISBN 0-295-95158-3. OCLC 1052713900. Retrieved November 18, 2019 – via The Internet Archive.
  8. ^ Dougherty, Phil (March 19, 2008). "Brier incorporates on February 11, 1965". HistoryLink. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Tod, Diane (June 29, 1976). "Brier residents fought to keep rural flavor". The Everett Herald. p. SC16. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Brooks, Diane (June 8, 2005). "Brier's rocky political history". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Schwarzen, Christopher (April 27, 2005). "New City Hall leaves trailers, basements behind". The Seattle Times. p. H6. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Schuster, Chad (January 14, 2006). "Rural feel, large lot sizes give Brier a relaxed pace". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  13. ^ Brown, Andrea (August 6, 2019). "Mom-and-pop shop hits the jackpot for selling a $12M ticket". The Everett Herald. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  14. ^ "2017 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Giordano, Lizz (March 28, 2022). "Why six small WA cities left thousands in federal relief unclaimed". Crosscut.com. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  17. ^ a b c d "Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: Brier city, Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000. Retrieved May 26, 2020 – via Puget Sound Regional Council.
  18. ^ a b Berk Consulting (July 17, 2024). "City of Brier Financial Forecast" (PDF). City of Brier. pp. 6–7. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  19. ^ Goldstein-Street, Jake (October 28, 2021). "Small-town policing takes center stage in Brier mayoral race". The Everett Herald. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Bratt, Cal (October 13, 2022). "Following in dad's footsteps". Lynden Tribune. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Census Bureau Geography Division (2023). 118th Congress of the United States: Washington – Congressional District 1 (PDF) (Map). 1:118,000. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  22. ^ Cornfield, Jerry (October 24, 2022). "Incumbents DelBene, Larsen say country is heading in right direction". The Everett Herald. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Washington State Redistricting Commission (July 15, 2022). "Legislative District 32" (PDF) (Map). District Maps Booklet 2022. Washington State Legislative Information Center. p. 33. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Snohomish County: County Council Districts (Map). Snohomish County Elections. May 12, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  25. ^ SeaScare overview information, SeaScare.com
  26. ^ Wright, Diane (August 9, 2006). "Seafair's over — now it's time for SeaScare". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  27. ^ Wootton, Sharon (September 23, 1987). "Brier takes hard look at value, ways to finance town library". The Everett Herald. p. CS6. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Moriarty, Leslie (July 3, 1996). "Reaction to bigger, better Brier library speaks volumes". The Everett Herald. p. F1. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Capital Facilities Element" (PDF). 2000 Comprehensive Plan Update. City of Brier. November 2000. p. 6. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  30. ^ "Public School District Directory Information: Edmonds School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  31. ^ Elementary Boundary Map (PDF) (Map). Edmonds School District. September 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  32. ^ Secondary Boundary Map (PDF) (Map). Edmonds School District. September 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  33. ^ U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division (January 14, 2021). 2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Snohomish County, WA (PDF) (Map). 1:80,000. United States Census Bureau. p. 7. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  34. ^ Haglund, Noah (October 16, 2016). "Suburban growth packs Northshore District classrooms". The Everett Herald. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  35. ^ a b "Transportation Element" (PDF). City of Brier Comprehensive Plan. City of Brier. February 2017. pp. 8–10. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  36. ^ "Route 111: Brier–Mountlake Terrace Station". Community Transit. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  37. ^ Switzer, Jeff (August 1, 2024). "Coming this fall: New RapidRide G Line and more Metro bus service". Metro Matters. King County Metro. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  38. ^ Perrero, Megan (September 23, 2014). "King County Metro, Trinity Metro expand on-demand public transit services". Mass Transit Magazine. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  39. ^ Vogel, Larry (May 16, 2024). "Local drinking water ranks among the best, exceeding new federal standards for contaminants". MyEdmondsNews. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
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