City Councilmembers discussed a number of issues of importance to the community during their City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 1. Here is a brief summary of some of the topics that appeared of particular interest to community members.
Council Proclaims October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The purpose of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month is to promote an active community response against the scourge of domestic violence. LifeWire, the leading domestic violence agency in Washington State, encourages survivors, their loved ones, and
concerned residents to learn more by calling the LifeWire Helpline at 425-746-1940. Additional resources are available on the City website.
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 Left to right: Mayor Penny Sweet, Diane Kuslich with LifeWire, and Councilmember Kelli Curtis
Council Proclaims October as Walk and Bike to School Month
Walk and Bike to School month encourages students and
parents to emphasize the priorities of safety for walking and biking to school and healthy kids in Kirkland. The following events are scheduled in October:
- Mark Twain: Wednesday, October 2 (8:50 a.m. start)
- Peter Kirk: Wednesday, October 2 (9:00 a.m. start)
- Sandburg/Discovery: Wednesday, October 2 (9:20 a.m. start)
- Helen Keller: Wednesday, October 2 (9:20 a.m. start)
- Thoreau: Thursday, October 3 (9:20 a.m. start)
- Rose Hill: Friday, October 4 (8:50 a.m. start)
- Juanita: Monday, October 7 (9:20 a.m. start)
- AG Bell: Tuesday, October 8 (9:20 a.m. start)
- Franklin: Wednesday, October 9 (9:20 a.m. start)
- Lakeview: Friday, October 11 (9:20 a.m. start )
Members of the City Council along with members of our Police Department and Fire Department will be attending events throughout the next two weeks.
Interested in working to make safer routes to schools for students? Find out how you can get involved in the Safer Routes to School program on the City website or attend the Sustainability Summit on Saturday, October 12 at City Hall.
 Resolution Opposing Initiative Measure No. 976
The City Council adopted Resolution 5389 opposing Initiative Measure No. 976. The measure would repeal or remove authority to impose certain vehicle taxes and fees, including charges funding mass-transit or regional transportation; change vehicle valuation laws; and limit motor-vehicle-license fees to $30, except voter-approved charges. More information on the Initiative Measure No. 976 can be found on the City website.
132nd Square Park Master Plan
The City Council received an update on the 132nd Square Park Master Plan. You can view the information that was provided to Council on the City website. The City anticipates this topic will return to the City Council in November.
Pesticide Reduction Strategies
The City Council also received a presentation on pesticide reduction strategies in City parks. It is the City of Kirkland’s policy to minimize the use and frequency of pesticide (including herbicide) application whenever possible on lands that the City owns or manages. Overall, Kirkland’s Streets, Grounds, and Parks employees spend less than 1% of their time on herbicide application. The Parks Department presented the City Council with three options for managing pests moving forward. Parks staff will continue their work to develop strategies to reduce pesticide use in City parks.
The leaves are starting to turn, and soon they’ll start to fall. During the month of November, the collection of extra yard waste will be free for single family residences in Kirkland.
Please help us prevent flooding in your neighborhood by cleaning leaves off storm drains and out of streets. Fallen leaves pile up on storm drains on our streets, blocking rainwater from draining, which can lead to localized flooding. City crews work hard to keep storm drains clear of leaves, but with over 12,000 drains in Kirkland, we could use your help!
To participate in this November program, first fill your yard waste cart with leaves and yard debris. Then, place extra yard waste next to your cart in a paper yard waste bag or your own durable container labeled “yard waste.” Do not place yard waste in plastic bags, which are not compostable and will not be picked up.
During October, yard waste extras will be billed at their usual rate of $5.75 plus tax for each 32-gallon container. Residents who would like to avoid a charge for yard waste extras in October are encouraged to save excess leaves that won’t fit in their cart until November.
The City is subsidizing the cost of yard waste extras during November 2019 and November 2020 as a pilot to evaluate whether providing free yard waste could reduce localized flooding.
Please do not rake or blow leaves from your property into the street, which contributes to the risk of flooding.
If severe flooding occurs in your neighborhood, please call our 24/7 hotline at (425) 587-3900 for assistance from a City crew.
Consider leaving the leaves that fall on your lawn or garden instead of raking them. If you mow over leaves on lawn areas a couple times, the small pieces will break down and return nutrients to your soil without the need for fertilizer. Leaves also make a great mulch for vegetable beds and landscape areas. Fallen leaves also provide shelter for beneficial insects in your garden like bees, beetles, and butterflies.
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.
Totem Lake Gateway Project
Night construction continues 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 will be 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. The system will then direct that stormwater into Totem Lake. For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway
Goat Hill Stormwater Upgrade
Commuters traveling along Juanita Drive should continue to expect traffic delays near Juanita Beach Park until early November while Kirkland’s contractor wraps up a vital upgrade to the Goat Hill stormwater system. Grade Incorporated’s construction crews will be using heavy machinery to transport the 30-inch stormwater pipe across Juanita Drive and, once completely installed, will repave the trench. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone, when necessary.
Third Street Water Main Upgrade
Kirkland’s Third Street water main contractor plans to close sections of Third Street, between Central Way and 5th Avenue, for the next two weeks. Shoreline Construction also expects to close one lane of Central Way on October 3 and October 4, at its intersection with Third Street. On those days, Shoreline’s crews will be connecting the water main beneath Third Street with the water main beneath Central Way. For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/thirdstreetwater.
124th Avenue Northeast Sidewalk
Kirkland’s contractor will complete the new sidewalks in October along the west side of 124th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 90th and 108th streets. That will leave three sections yet to be completed—between Northeast 100th and 104th streets—by private developers. When complete, the sidewalk will create a continuous walkway between South Rose Hill and Totem Lake. For more information, 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. For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/streetpreservation.
Sixth Street Improvements
The Everest community and the City of Kirkland will be celebrating on October 23 the completion of the Sixth Street corridor’s last major capital construction project. The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. on Ninth Avenue South.
Until then, Kirkland’s contractor, Lakeside Industries, is putting the finishing touches on a repaved Sixth Street, from Fourth Avenue to Northeast 68th Street. That includes re-striping the arterial’s travel lanes, as well as its bicycle lanes, which will be green. When complete, the City will activate the new four-way traffic signals at Sixth Street and Ninth Avenue South.
Previously, the City upgraded the corridor’s water and sewer mains, rebuilt with concrete its intersection with Kirkland Way and installed traffic signals there.
For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/6thstreet.
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Do you need to pay a bill or renew your pet license, but struggle to find time to stop by City Hall between the hours of 8 to 5 p.m. on weekdays? This year’s City Hall for All event offers access to City services! Stop by Kirkland City Hall on Saturday, October 12 from noon to 4 p.m. to access a variety of City services including pet licensing for your dog or cat, utility payments and passport applications and processing. The final passport applicant will be taken at 3:45 p.m. so be sure to stop in before that! More information on applying for a passport is available on the City website.
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Gather up your ghastly ghouls, miniature monsters and caped crusaders for the Kirkland Parks and Community Services Department’s annual costumed Pee Wee Monster Bash!
The 2019 Pee Wee Monster Bash is for preschoolers age one through 5, and takes place 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, October 25 at the North Kirkland Community Center. Your tiny tykes will love our clever collection of kooky Halloween-themed carnival activities, including a cookie walk, swamp fishing for tasty treats, crafts, a monster movement maze, story time and more! Admission to this open house-style event is $15 and kooky costumes are welcome. Please leave your strollers at home so there’s more room for exploration and fun.
Toy prizes will be awarded to all attendees!
The Pee Wee Monster Bash is coordinated by the Kirkland Parks and Community Services Department and all are welcome. The North Kirkland Community Center is located at 12421 103rd Ave. N.E. in the Totem Lake area. Kiddos age five and under will love this event, which emphasizes kookiness over spookiness.
This event sells out, so pre-registration is strongly encouraged. For more information about the Pee Wee Monster Bash or to register, please visit the City website.
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Halloween Costume Swap
Donate Costumes: September 30 through 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
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
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.
Costumes of all sizes - from infant to adult - are accepted. Items should be clean and in good, wearable condition.
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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, and 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 3 p.m., 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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