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Public deliberations over the City of Kenmore’s 2021-2022 Budget are currently underway. The decisions made as a result of the budget will reflect the principles or plans that guide future actions and day-to-day activities of the organization. Preparing and adopting a budget is required by State law for all cities, and there are several opportunities for public input. Here’s what’s coming up at Kenmore City Council meetings:
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November 9: Review of Budget Amendments and Public Hearing on the Preliminary Budget
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November 16: Public Hearing on the Final Biennial Budget
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November 23: Final Budget Adoption
The City is seeking three volunteers to serve on the Planning Commission. Candidates must be Kenmore residents and could be selected to start a three-year term starting in January 2021. The application deadline is November 16, 2020. The Planning Commission serves as a policy advisory body to the City Council providing guidance and recommendations on the City’s Comprehensive Plan and related land use documents.
Desirable qualities of a commissioner include a strong interest in the future of the Kenmore community, an ability to review the meeting materials in advance, and the ability to communicate well with others. The City Council is committed to appointing a Commission that reflects the diversity of the community including members from all geographic areas of the City. All residents are encouraged to apply.
In August, the community and Council were presented with two options related to a girder delivery delay for the West Sammamish River Bridge Project (WSRB). Council and the community decided that the best option would be to allow west bridge demolition to be completed in one phase and to move all traffic to the east bridge for 10 months in 2021 to accommodate this work. Read more about the decision here.
Beginning on January 4, 2021 and for a duration of 10 months, all traffic across the river (northbound and southbound) will be restricted to the east bridge. Traffic congestion will increase during this period. Mitigation strategies will include the use of flaggers, signage, and police officers. Alternate routes are strongly encouraged. Traffic can be checked via live stream.
The project provides a structurally safe new bridge, a new bike lane, pedestrian pathways, and a viewing platform to enhance traveler experiences. As always, your patience is appreciated!
If you receive a call from a contact tracer, the caller will show up as "Public Health," "WA Health," 206-263-8480, or 206-263-0267. What should you do? Answer the call. Your participation is essential to helping stop the spread of COVID-19.
The City of Kenmore is providing FREE masks for the community! Stop by the no-contact pick up station at the front entrance to City Hall on Tuesdays from 10am-12pm. Reusable cloth masks are available. Join fellow community members in keeping one another safe and wear a mask in public spaces. Face coverings are required statewide in all public spaces because they are effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19, especially when combined with 6 feet of physical distance.
The City of Kenmore is partnering with the Bothell Kenmore Chamber to distribute vital supplies to Kenmore businesses. Supplies are available by appointment for pick up at City Hall on Monday, November 9 from 10 am to 1:30 pm. Thanks to a federal grant, the City is able to offer kits valued at over $300 that include supplies such as sanitizer, masks, signage and handheld temperature readers.
Please book a time to pick up supplies in advance. Drive thru pick up: Enter the Kenmore City Hall parking garage on your selected day/time from NE 181st Street and we will verify your reservation & load your supplies. More information and resources for businesses is available on the City's website.
Did you know? Business registration is required for businesses physically located within the City of Kenmore. Business registration is a great way for the City of Kenmore to connect with local businesses to provide support as well as emergency contact and safety information. It also provides benefits to businesses such as inclusion in the Kenmore Business Directory and funding for promotion of the Kenmore business community.
Who needs to have a Kenmore Business Registration?
- Businesses located in Kenmore, with a reported gross annual income over $12,000. However, businesses with a gross annual income of less than $12,000 may register voluntarily for access to the benefits listed above. The $12,000 threshold will change to $2,000 in early December 2020. Details available soon.
- Nonprofit organizations located in Kenmore (excluding churches, schools, universities, and farmers selling their own products)
Next month, the community will be invited to share what they are grateful for about living in Kenmore on social media by using the hashtag #kenmorelovenotes. Another way to express gratitude is by sharing acts of kindness, or "love notes," around Kenmore. Examples of love notes:
- Paint rocks with messages of gratitude and place around City for people to find
- Rake leaves for your neighbor or rake leaves off the storm drains in your neighborhood.
- Support your local business - brewery/restaurant/store/coffee shop
- Give to someone in need in Kenmore – local food bank or local food pantry
- Send a thank you card to a teacher, healthcare provider, firefighter or police officer
How do you bring and express light, joy and hope during the winter months? For our last event of the year, and in an effort to end 2020 on a bright note, we will be collecting the various ways our community celebrates and expresses joy this time of year. Share with us your cultural, ethnic and/or family traditions which can include recipes, song and dance, celebrations, and decorations. Join us to help foster and recognize the light, joy and hope all around us!
 A big shoutout to our local businesses for partnering with us during these unprecedented times. We'd like to honor and recognize our 2020 event sponsors. Our event lineup changed this year, but they stuck right by our side. Thank you for your support and commitment to our City!
Frank Lumber
EvergreenHealth
Eastside Natural Medicine
Northshore Utility District
The Lodge at Saint Edward
Brent Smith Homes
Kenmore Pediatric Dentistry
At its regular meeting on October 12, the Kenmore City Council formally recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. The holiday is celebrated on the second Monday of October as an alternative to Columbus Day. The movement to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Native American Day has gained momentum and many states, cities, towns, counties, community groups, churches, universities, schools, and other institutions observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Native American Day with activities that raise awareness of the rich history, culture, and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 to receive public comments on preliminary recommendations for changes to the permit review processes for affordable housing projects. Potential changes include:
- eliminating the public notification and local appeal process for some projects in multifamily and commercial zoning districts
- allowing a developer to request an expedited review
- creating an opportunity through the development agreement process for the City Council to consider increased densities for 100% affordable housing projects on property owned or under the control of religious organizations, consistent with State law.
See the Planning Commission meeting agenda for November 17.
Kenmore Heritage Society is seeking nominations for the 2021 McMaster Heritage Award by November 15. Beginning in 2002 and each year since, the McMaster Heritage Award has honored a local citizen who, through selfless giving of time and talent, has made a significant positive difference in the Kenmore Community. The Kenmore Heritage Society encourages local service clubs, PTAs, businesses, organizations, and private individuals to submit nominations for this prestigious award.
New Self-Guided History Tour! Kenmore Heritage Society partnered with Historylink to create a tour of Kenmore's history. Written by HistoryLink’s network of experts in local history, the easy-to-use self-guided walking tours explore the neighborhoods of Seattle and King County with a nod to the past. Meticulously researched and richly illustrated, each tour is easily accessible via public transit. Click here to get started: Kenmore's HistoryLink Tour
Metro has an opportunity to significantly improve the pre-COVID transit network in north King County with the opening of the three new Link light rail stations in north Seattle. Metro is launching the final phase of community engagement for this project. Learn more and take the survey here.
The City partnered with Microsoft Research earlier this year to install and test their prototype air quality sensors at 18 sites around the City. The sensors are battery powered and remotely transmit cellular data to Microsoft servers every 20 minutes, which are then available to the City. The sensors have successfully monitored several air quality parameters since February, including humidity, temperature and particulate matter concentrations at 1, 2.5 and 10 microns.
Find out more about upcoming events here.
Si gusta communicarse con la ciudad de Kenmore o revisar un documento en otro idioma, envie su solicitud con su información de conctacto a cityhall@kenmorewa.gov o llame al 425-398-8900.
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