Residents can testify about the Hawley Road levee improvements along the Green River at a public hearing before the city of Kent hearing examiner at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 in the Council Chambers West at City Hall.

Christopher Mathews, city land use hearing examiner, will oversee the public hearing.

The city's public works department is required to request a Shoreline Conditional Use Permit in order to construct a levee or earthern berm along the river. The berm will help protect the city from flooding.

Under the plan, Hawley Road will be raised to act as a levee but will still function as a street for local residents, businesses and park users.

The project includes portions of the right-of-way along Hawley Road, which is west of Highway 167 and east of the West Valley Highway. The Hawley Road levee is just south of the LA Fitness club. Construction is scheduled to start this fall.

The project includes:

• Building a berm from Washington Avenue to Hawley Road near the LA Fitness building

• Building a berm from Hawley Road to SR 167 between the Holmes Electric Building and Riverview Park

• Raising a section of Hawley Road to form a levee between the two berms

• Certifying the improved levee, and submitting an application to FEMA so properties can be removed from the Kent valley floodplains and property owners will no longer be required to buy flood insurance

For more information, call the city of Kent planning department at 253-856-5454.

For a list of Green River levee projects, see the city of Kent website.

Contact Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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