Editing Mill Creek, Washington (section)

==Geography==

The city of Mill Creek has a total area of {{convert|4.69|sqmi|sqkm|2}} according to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]].<ref name="Census-Gazetteer">{{cite web |title=2018 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2018_Gazetteer/2018_gaz_place_53.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=February 16, 2020}}</ref> The [[city limit]]s of Mill Creek are generally defined to the west by [[North Creek (Sammamish River)|North Creek]], to the north by 132nd Street Southeast (part of [[Washington State Route 96|State Route 96]]) and [[Everett, Washington|Everett]], to the east by Seattle Hill Road and 35th Avenue Southeast, and to the south by 163rd Street Southeast and [[North Creek County Park]].<ref>{{cite map |title=City of Mill Creek |date=January 2017 |scale=1 inch = 500 feet |url=https://www.cityofmillcreek.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9100852/File/City%20Government/Public%20Works%20&%20Development%20Services/Planning%20and%20Development/Maps/MAIN%20CITY%20MAP%20WITH%20TRAILS%20JAN%202017%20COLOR%20FINAL%20DATED.pdf |publisher=City of Mill Creek |access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref> The city is surrounded by a larger [[urban growth boundary|urban growth area]] that encompasses <!--{{convert||sqmi|sqkm}} of--> unincorporated land, including the communities of [[Martha Lake, Washington|Martha Lake]] and [[Silver Firs, Washington|Silver Firs]], with a population of 68,746 people in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 8, 2015 |title=City of Mill Creek Comprehensive Plan |page=V-2 |url=https://www.cityofmillcreek.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9100852/File/City%20Government/Public%20Works%20&%20Development%20Services/Planning%20and%20Development/2015%20Comprehensive%20Plan.pdf |publisher=City of Mill Creek |access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref> The urban growth area extends west to [[Interstate 5 in Washington|Interstate 5]], including an overlapping claim with [[Lynnwood, Washington|Lynnwood]] and south to 196th Street Southeast at the north end of the [[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]] claim.<ref>{{cite map |date=September 2, 2013 |title=Snohomish County GMA Comprehensive Plan Municipal Urban Growth Areas |url=https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8216/Map-3-Municipal-Urban-Growth-Areas-MUGA-11x17?bidId= |publisher=Snohomish County |access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref>

Several creeks flow through the city, including North Creek (a tributary of the [[Sammamish River]]),<ref>{{cite news |last=Santana |first=John |date=March 3, 2008 |title=Council making way for habitat project |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/uncategorized/council-making-way-for-habitat-project/ |work=The Enterprise |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref> Penny Creek, and Nickel Creek.<ref name="comp plan">{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofmillcreek.com/COMMUNITY%20DEVELOPMENT%20FILES/Comp%20Plan/comp%20plan/Current/Environment.pdf |title=Chapter XII: Environmental Element |year=2011 |work=Mill Creek Comprehensive Plan |publisher=City of Mill Creek |access-date=August 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120212001/http://cityofmillcreek.com/COMMUNITY%20DEVELOPMENT%20FILES/Comp%20Plan/comp%20plan/Current/Environment.pdf |archive-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref> A minor stream known as Smokehouse Creek was renamed to Mill Creek in 2001, retroactively giving the city a geographic namesake.<ref name="Times-Seven"/> The center of Mill Creek lies along [[Washington State Route 527|State Route 527]], between two protected [[wetland]]s along North Creek and Penny Creek.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schwarzen |first=Christopher |date=July 27, 2005 |title=Group takes long view in North Creek cleanup |page=H4 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20050727/northcreek27e/group-takes-long-view-in-north-creek-cleanup |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref> The original plat of Mill Creek, located east of State Route 527, consists of 21 neighborhood subdivisions that are named for various types of trees.<ref name="Herald-Garage">{{cite news |last=Nile |first=Amy |date=May 2, 2014 |title=Mill Creek garage sale a tradition that 'can't be stopped' |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/mill-creek-garage-sale-a-tradition-that-cant-be-stopped/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=April 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Neighborhoods">{{cite map |date=January 2015 |title=City of Mill Creek Housing Divisions |url=https://www.cityofmillcreek.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9100852/File/City%20Government/Public%20Works%20&%20Development%20Services/Planning%20and%20Development/Maps/Main_NEIGHBORHOOD_Map_BLUE_TITLE%202015_R.pdf |publisher=City of Mill Creek |access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref>