Kenmore could be the first city in line for a pilot project that brings ferry service to Lake Washington next summer.

Officials from the city have made a case for that plan with an outpouring of enthusiasm, and the decision makers are taking notice.

“It’s fair to say that from the mayor on down, the city’s leadership seems very excited,” said Bob Ferguson, a member of the King County Council and the King County Ferry District Board. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The Ferry District Board decided last year to create a water-taxi fleet by taking over the Vashon Island and West Seattle lines, and by starting five new demonstration routes serving Kenmore, Kirkland, Renton, Shilshole and Des Moines.

A 10-year property-tax increase of 5.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value will pay for the plan, which is expected to cost $140 million for the first 10 years.

The ferry routes along Lake Washington would converge in Seattle at a location such as the University of Washington campus or Madison Park.

Kenmore Mayor David Baker said he surveyed 102 people at the city’s Park and Ride along State Route 522 to find out whether they would utilize such a service.

He claims the potential users outnumbered the non-users by a 2:1 margin, with most non-users indicating that they work in areas outside the route vicinity.

Ferguson said he’s been impressed with the initiative that Kenmore officials are taking.

“There’s no one more enthusiastic than Kenmore, judging from the feedback I’ve received from other board members,” he said.

The three main criteria for selecting a first demonstration route are local support, local facilities and local investment, according to Ferguson.

The ferry district is also looking to begin its initial route near a dense residential area.

Kirkland meets the latter criterion because of the condominiums and multi-use buildings that already exist near its waterfront.

Kenmore, meanwhile, has only dreamt of large-scale residential developments along Lake Washington.

The city has proposed a 45-acre mixed-use center called Lakepointe that would be located east of the Kenmore Air terminal.

But no one has been willing to invest in the project because the ground there is mostly comprised of fill, a costly surface to build on.

Kenmore does have an advantage because its commercial docking facilities, which equate to less investment for getting a potential pilot project started.

Baker said that Kenmore’s parking situation is also better, since the city has a Park-and-Ride facility located within close proximity to the lake.

Bringing ferry service to the Northshore area holds promise for University of Washington students who wish to attend programs at the school’s Bothell and Seattle campuses.

“It’s exciting to think about the possibilities,” said UW-Bothell spokeswoman Kelly Snyder.

UW officials have been talking with the ferry district about potential shuttle services between the docking points and campuses.