Lake Forest Park is mostly homes, trees and creeks, but plenty of businesses start here: consultants and contractors working from a spare room, shops and restaurants at Town Center, and service businesses along Bothell Way NE. Whatever the size, the legal groundwork looks much the same. You need the right entity, clear contracts, and a lease you understand before you sign it.
Martin J. Kreshon III is a business attorney whose office is in Shoreline, just west of Lake Forest Park. Martin helps Lake Forest Park owners form LLCs and corporations, draft and review contracts, negotiate commercial leases, and buy or sell a business. Meetings can happen at the Shoreline office, by phone, or by video.
Doing business in Lake Forest Park
Lake Forest Park runs its own business licensing and tax program, which is different from many nearby cities that use the state’s Business Licensing Service. A few points to know:
- City business license: the city states that all businesses located or doing business in Lake Forest Park must be licensed. Applications and renewals can be handled through FileLocal, the shared portal several Washington cities use. See the city’s Business Licensing and Taxes page for current fees.
- Separate from your state registration: the city license does not replace your state business license and UBI number through the Washington Department of Revenue. Most businesses need both.
- Local business and occupation tax: the city levies a quarterly business tax of two tenths of one percent of gross proceeds. The city says businesses with less than $5,000 per quarter in taxable income do not have to pay it. Returns are due one month after the end of each quarter.
- Home-based businesses: much of the city is zoned residential, so a home business needs a home occupation application reviewed by the city’s planning staff along with the license. The city’s rules address things like floor area, employees, parking, deliveries and noise.
- Permits and planning: land use, building permits and home occupation review run through the city’s Community Development Department.
Most commercial space sits along Bothell Way NE (SR 522), with Town Center at Lake Forest Park as the main hub near the Ballinger Way NE intersection. Sound Transit is building its Stride S3 bus rapid transit line along SR 522, with stations planned in Lake Forest Park at NE 153rd Street, NE 165th Street and Ballinger Way. If you are weighing a lease along the corridor, construction timing and access are fair questions to raise with the landlord.
How Martin helps Lake Forest Park businesses
- Business formation: choosing between an LLC and a corporation and filing with the Secretary of State, including for home-based consultants and trades who want to separate business and household assets.
- Operating agreements: setting out ownership, voting and money for LLCs with more than one owner, or for spouses running a business together from home.
- Business contracts: client agreements, vendor contracts and independent contractor terms that fit how your business actually works.
- Commercial leases: reviewing and negotiating retail, restaurant and office leases at Town Center and along Bothell Way NE, including operating costs and personal guaranties.
- Buy-sell agreements: planning what happens if a co-owner retires, leaves or dies.
- Buying or selling a business: purchase agreements, due diligence and lease assignments when a local shop or practice changes hands.
- Trade secrets: protecting client lists, pricing and methods when employees or contractors leave.
- Closing an LLC: winding up with the state and remembering to close your city license and tax account as well.
About Lake Forest Park
Lake Forest Park incorporated in 1961 and sits on the northwest shore of Lake Washington, between Seattle, Shoreline and Kenmore. Its commercial center is Town Center at Lake Forest Park, an 18-acre shopping center on Bothell Way NE that also houses City Hall and a King County library branch. Third Place Books and the Third Place Commons gathering space make it a regular meeting spot, and a seasonal farmers market runs in the parking lot.
Parks and places to know
- Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve: a small city preserve where Lyon Creek meets Lake Washington, with public access to the shoreline.
- Grace Cole Nature Park: a wooded wetland park of about 15 acres with walking trails.
- Horizon View Park: a neighborhood park of about 8 acres near the highest point in the city.
- Burke-Gilman Trail: the regional paved trail runs along the lakeshore through Lake Forest Park, linking it to Seattle and Kenmore.
- Town Center at Lake Forest Park: the city’s main shopping and community hub, home to Third Place Books and Third Place Commons.
Getting to Martin’s Shoreline office
Martin’s office at 17713 15th Ave NE in Shoreline is a short drive from most of Lake Forest Park, typically about 10 to 15 minutes from Town Center depending on traffic, using Ballinger Way NE or NE 175th Street. Phone and video consultations are available if a meeting in person is not convenient.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a city business license to operate in Lake Forest Park?
Generally yes. The city states that all businesses located or doing business in Lake Forest Park must be licensed. The city runs its own program, and you can apply and renew through FileLocal. This license is in addition to your Washington state business license and UBI number from the Department of Revenue.
Does Lake Forest Park have a local B&O tax?
Yes. The city collects a quarterly business tax of two tenths of one percent of gross proceeds, with returns due one month after each quarter ends. The city says businesses with less than $5,000 per quarter in taxable income do not owe the tax. Check the city’s licensing page for current details, since rates and thresholds can change.
Can I run a business from my home in Lake Forest Park?
Often, yes. Home-based businesses need a home occupation application reviewed by the city’s planning staff along with the business license. The rules address floor area, employees, parking, deliveries and noise. Martin can help you set up the business entity and contracts, and you should confirm land use questions with the city.
Can Martin help with a commercial lease at Town Center or on Bothell Way?
Yes. Martin reviews and negotiates commercial leases for tenants and landlords, including retail and restaurant space. He looks at rent, operating costs, repairs, personal guaranties, assignment rights and renewal options, and explains which terms are worth pushing on before you sign.
Do I have to meet Martin in person?
No. Martin’s office is in Shoreline, a short drive from Lake Forest Park, and you are welcome to meet there. Phone and video consultations are also available, and most documents can be reviewed and signed electronically. That works well for owners who are busy running a shop or working from home during the day.
Talk with Martin about your Lake Forest Park business
Whether you are starting a home-based business or signing a lease on Bothell Way NE, Martin can walk you through the next steps from his Shoreline office.
Direct line: 206-929-0609
Office: 17713 15th Ave NE, Suite 101, Shoreline, WA 98155
You can also read client reviews on Avvo.
See the full list of services Martin Kreshon provides for Washington businesses.
Attorney advertising. This page provides general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Responsible attorney: Martin J. Kreshon III.