From the 132nd Square Park Master Plan to the proposed amendments to the City’s Tree Code, there are many important topics slated for discussion at the Tuesday, October 1 Council meeting. The City Council's Regular Business meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber and is preceded by a 6 p.m. joint Study Session with the Council and the Planning Commission. Here is a quick preview of a few of the items up for conversation:
Tree Code Study Session: Special Joint Meeting with Planning Commission and City Council
This important Study Session will include a comprehensive presentation on the Planning Commission’s draft amendments of the City’s tree code, (Kirkland Zoning Code Chapter 95) to the City Council, including an overview of the draft code in preparation for a future public hearing. The City’s tree protection ordinance helps balance urban growth, protect the environment and maintain community character. The draft amendments seek to improve code clarity for all code users, while addressing things like allowed tree removal, tree retention requirements on development sites, protection of landmark trees through a new designation, and more. The City has been preparing a series of videos discussing the tree code update. The first video in this series can be seen below.
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 132nd Square Park Final Draft Master Plan Briefing
The Council will receive a briefing on the final draft master plan for 132nd Square Park, a 9.76-acre community park located in the Kingsgate area. Over the past few months, City staff has been engaged in community outreach to aid in the development of a master plan that would include various improvements to the park, including things like all-weather turf athletic fields, enhanced lighting and additional parking. The master plan process is guided by Kirkland zoning code, which requires a master plan process when major park infrastructure improvements are considered. More information on the Master Plan development process thus far is available on the City website.
Pesticide Reduction Strategies
The City Council will receive information and an update on the City’s ongoing efforts with its Integrated Pest Management Plan, which provides policies and practices for vegetation management. This agenda item specifically seeks Council guidance on the range of synthetic pesticides versus organic applications and manual vegetation removal methods, informed by an analysis of what other municipalities are doing to maintain their parks, open spaces and playfields.
Join us for three Proclamations for the month of October
Mayor Penny Sweet will issue three Proclamations for the month of October, including Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Walk and Bike to School Month, and National Code Compliance Month, which honors Code Compliance Officers in Kirkland and in other jurisdictions across the United States.
The City is seeking applicants to volunteer to serve on a Community Safety Advisory Group (CSAG) to advise the City Council on a potential November 2020 ballot measure for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. CSAG will meet for the duration of October 2019 to March 2020 to review a menu of major investments for fire station seismic renovation, expansion, additional firefighter staffing, potential training facilities, and funding mechanisms. The CSAG's recommendation to the Council will be presented March of 2020. The Council will then have until July 21 to approve the ordinance placing the measure on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election. More information on CSAG and the potential November 2020 ballot measure for Fire and Emergency Medical Services can be found in the video below.
Authorized by Council's adoption of Resolution R-5386 (PDF), the CSAG will be comprised of representatives from nearly 40 community groups, including two positions from the community at large. If you are interested, please apply today. We are accepting applications through October 13th.
The Peter Kirk Room (off the south entrance of City Hall) will transform into a sustainability extravaganza from 1 to 4 p.m on Saturday, October 12. We will have tips on all types of things you can do to make your home more sustainable---from reducing waste to indoor water conservation to proper recycling techniques. Come and get information on how you might be able to access special financing for energy efficiency or solar projects.
We'll also have a smorgasbord of FREE give-a-ways, including a bag of compost, courtesy of the City of Kirkland (while supplies last).
This year marks the third annual City Hall for All event, which was founded in 2017 to further inclusivity, expand civic engagement and increase access to City services.
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The Kirkland Fire Department has been busy this month, awarding recipients of its new Community Defibrillator Grant Program with their new, Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs).
The Kirkland Fire Department’s Community Defibrillator Grant Program was initiated earlier this year by the Kirkland City Council, which allocated the funds necessary to purchase the AEDs. The program is meant to provide AEDs to community organizations, businesses and nonprofits that serve Kirkland employees and residents. These important life-saving tools help bridge the gap from the time a person suffers a cardiac incident to the arrival of the Kirkland Fire Department’s resources.
Last week, the City provided Mari’s Home Care and the Kingsgate 3 & 4 Pool with AEDs. Mari’s Home Care is an adult family home that cares for up to six elderly residents at any given time, specializing in caring for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Kingsgate 3 & 4 Pool is a neighborhood pool operated by the Kingsgate 3 & 4 Homeowners Association. The pool serves 300 families and their guests, and hosts swim meets during the summer months that welcome hundreds of people. It is home base for the Kingsgate Monarchs swim team, a Kingsgate neighborhood swim team for youth ages 4 – 18. The pool also offers daily open swim hours available to youth, adults and seniors.
Early this week, AED’s were provided to Eastside Christian Fellowship and Jemco Components & Fabrication Inc. Eastside Christian Fellowship is a non-denominational church with offices and an event center where it serves anywhere from 20 to 120 people for a variety of different activities.
Jemco, located in the Moss Bay neighborhood, produces a variety of parts for use in the aerospace, medical, electrical, defense and marine industries. It has over 70 employees and has been in Kirkland for twenty years. The company is excited about the opportunity to enhance safety for its employees.
The fire department awarded a total of 10 AEDs to qualifying local organizations. The remaining grant recipients will receive their AEDs in the next few weeks. For more information on the Community Defibrillator Grant Program, please visit: http://bit.ly/AEDgrants.
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The City has published the latest version of its Draft Citywide Transportation Connections Map. The City Council directed staff to create a single, citywide transportation connections map that shows, to the extent possible, all the potential street and pathway connections. Vital to the creation of the map is consulting with Kirkland’s residents, businesses, and other stakeholders.
City staff hosted a community workshop on the draft map in June and have been out in the community at Neighborhood Associations and site visits collecting feedback on the draft map since May.
When complete the Citywide Transportation connections map will illustrate Kirkland’s vision for a resilient transportation network, with improved access for firefighters and police officers, better traffic flow for those driving or bicycling throughout Kirkland, and community connectivity for those on foot or with mobility assistance devices.
To view the latest version of the map, see a timeline of the project, and learn more about the types of connections, please visit the City website.
A City Council Study Session will occur on Tuesday, October 15 and a public hearing at the Planning Commission is scheduled for October 24. To provide written comment ahead of the public hearing, please visit: https://www.research.net/r/connectionsmap
The final map will be included in Kirkland’s 2019 update of its Comprehensive Plan and is anticipated to go to City Council in November.
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Every fall, families hunt down new costumes for fast-growing kids who can’t fit into the costume from the previous year. But buying new costumes can be expensive, especially for an item that’s worn for a single night. Producing so many new costumes has an environmental impact too. Instead of buying new costumes this year, trade your old costumes for ones that are new-to-you at our 4th annual Community Costume Swap!
The swap is a two-part event, with donations collected for the week before the swap event. This allows us to sort costumes by size so it’s easy for everyone to choose a costume that will fit during the event. Last year we helped more than a hundred people find secondhand costumes and create unique outfits with our donated accessory table, and expect this year’s event to be just as popular.
Costumes of all sizes - from infant to adult - are accepted. Items should be clean and in good, wearable condition. While it’s not required to give a costume, we rely on donations from the community, so we encourage anyone who plans to participate in the swap event to donate what you are able during our donation period.
DONATE COSTUMES
September 30 – October 4
Kirkland City Hall upstairs lobby (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
OR North Kirkland Community Center (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
SELECT COSTUMES
Saturday, October 5
Kirkland City Hall
Peter Kirk Room
10am – 11:30am
Exchanging costumes instead of buying new is a great way to help the environment, save money, and share with the community! This event is hosted by the City of Kirkland Recycling Team to make it easy for our community members to reuse and reduce. Volunteers are still needed for October 5, contact recycle@kirklandwa.gov with interest.
Each week we will provide an ongoing list of Kirkland’s capital projects that will affect traffic. We will list new projects first.
Elementary School Walk Route Enhancements – Northeast 104th Street
Kirkland’s School Walk Routes contractor plans this week to direct traffic onto one lane of Northeast 104th Street, between 126th and 132nd avenues northeast. A-1 Landscaping and Construction will operate the lane-closure from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while its crews build a new sidewalk that will enable Mark Twain Elementary School students to walk to school.
124th Avenue Northeast Sidewalk
Allied Construction continues construction until early October on the 124th Avenue Northeast sidewalk. Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/124thavenue
Street Preservation – 116th Avenue Northeast
Late summer’s unusually wet weather has forced Kirkland to postpone until spring 2020 the paving of 116th Avenue Northeast, between the Houghton Park and Ride and Northeast 73rd Place. Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/streetpreservation
Totem Lake Gateway Project
Night construction began this week on the first in a series of projects that will complement the pedestrian plazas and streetscape established by The Village at Totem Lake. From now until late October, Marshbank Construction is building the outfall for a stormwater system that will collect rain water runoff from 36 acres along Totem Lake Boulevard and the Cross Kirkland Corridor and direct it into Totem Lake. Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway
Goat Hill Stormwater Upgrade
The ongoing Goat Hill stormwater upgrade could temporarily affect Juanita Drive traffic while Grade Inc. Construction crosses Juanita Drive with the upgraded stormwater pipe. Grade Inc. Construction will maintain two-way traffic during the impact. Mail, emergency services and local residents will have access. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone, when necessary. This project is nearing completion.
Third Street Water Main Upgrade
The City’s contractor, Shoreline Construction, continues upgrading the Third Street water main, between Central Way and Seventh Avenue. Construction is expected to close between Central Way and 5th Avenue, for the next two weeks. Detours will direct traffic around the work zone.
Sixth Street Improvements
Progress continues on the Sixth Street corridor’s last major improvement project: rehabilitating and repaving the roadway from Fourth Avenue to Northeast 68th Street. Lakeside Industries is paving the arterial this week, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Lakeside expects to complete the project in early October.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/6thstreet.
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Fall Recycling Event
Saturday, October 5, 9 a.m to 3 p.m.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology Event, South Parking Lot - use the East Campus Entrance on 132nd Ave NE.
Recycle some tricky items that aren't accepted in your weekly trash service, like:
- Bulky wood
- Latex paint
- Mattresses and box springs
- Refrigerators and AC units
- Toilets and porcelain tubs
- Tires
Some items are free and some have a pass-through charge. See all items and fees.
Free shredding is available - up to four file-sized boxes (or equivalent) per household. Shredding is provided by Confidential Data Disposal, and they shred all material on-site the day of the event. You can request to have it shredded while you watch if you would like.
No vehicles will be admitted after 3pm, sharp. No exceptions. Note that this event is popular and there may be a wait to dispose of your items. Cash only for all fees.
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This year City Hall for All has something for everyone! All the action takes place on Saturday, October 12 at City Hall on 123 Fifth Ave. The event has four components: access to City services, Truck-a-palooza, Sustainability Fair, and the Sustainability Summit.
Access City Services on a Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m.
Once again this year community members will be able to access City services such as pet licensing, paying utility bills, and passport applications on a Saturday. Services will be available from 12 top 4 p.m. with the final passport applicant taken at 3:45 p.m. More information on applying for a passport is available on the City website.
Truck-a-palooza! 12 to 2 p.m.
Come down and see trucks! trucks! trucks! from 12 to 2 p.m. in the City Hall north parking lot. We'll have fire trucks, police vehicles, garbage trucks, plows, excavators, gators and more! Kids of all ages will have the opportunity to get a picture taken sitting on a fire engine, explore a police cruiser, and experience all types of City vehicles. There will be fun giveaways for the kids!
Sustainability Fair 1 to 4 p.m.
The Peter Kirk Room (off the south entrance of City Hall) will transform into a sustainability extravaganza from 1 to 4 p.m. We will have tips on all types of things you can do to make your home more sustainable---from solar panels to rain gardens to proper recycling techniques. Come and get information on how you might be able to access funds to build a rain garden or special financing for energy efficiency or solar projects. We'll also have a smorgasbord of FREE give-a-ways, including a bag of compost, courtesy of the City of Kirkland (while supplies last).
Sustainability Summit 2 to 5 p.m.
We want to hear from you! Join us for a continuation of the civic conversation on a range of topics related to sustainability. This highly interactive discussion will cover how to encourage students to bike, walk, and bus to school, environmental sustainability, and more. You can drop-in for one topic or stay for the entire time. This is a great opportunity to share your input in a casual environment on a multitude of issues that impact our community. If you attended the June Sustainability Forum or the July Sustainability Focus Groups, you can find out and provide feedback about what's next for the City’s Sustainability Master Plan. If you're interested in attending, please RSVP so that we can have enough materials for everyone.
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