The next City Council meeting will occur on Tuesday, February 18. The public is always encouraged to attend and provide comment during the Items from the Audience section. The meeting can also be viewed on KGOV TV on Comcast Cable channel 21 or Frontier Communications channel 31, or live streamed on the City website. Here are a few of the upcoming items for discussion:
King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci will be in attendance to provide a legislative update.
Police Chief Cherie Harris will be providing a special presentation on Policing at Big Finn Hill Park. Despite the annexation of Finn Hill in 2011, Big Finn Hill Park remains a King County regional park. Kirkland residents, Kirkland City Councilmembers, and staff from the the City of Kirkland and King County are all seeking clarity on how police services are provided in the park.
City staff will provide a special presentation on possible traffic detours on 100th Avenue N.E. due to the installation of a new, fish-passable culvert on Cedar Creek. In addition to improving aquatic and riparian habitat, the project will reduce the risk of flooding. The existing culvert that will be replaced includes an adjacent in-stream detention facility, which is an outdated facility that does not provide adequate flow control. Consequently, the area has experienced stream bank erosion, degradation of aquatic habitat, and downstream flooding. The new design will improve these issues.
Discussions will continue on proposed updates to the Tree Code. The focus of the discussion will be on the definition of a Landmark tree.
The agenda will be available in its entirety later this week on the City website.
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The Welcoming Kirkland Initiative continues its series of community conversations and learning sessions with "Driving While Black" on Wednesday, February 19 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
Presenters will take on one of the most controversial topics in contemporary race discussions, "Driving While Black." Many African Americans and other People of Color report they are pulled over disproportionately by police. Others believe traffic enforcement is largely fair. Our different experiences often contribute to starkly different perceptions when it comes to framing problems and solutions. How do we work towards progress together given those differences? Join us as Kirkland Talks about "Driving While Black."
United Way of King County is offering free tax help to families and individuals earning less than $66,000 a year. This free assistance program is being hosted at 33 locations throughout King County, with services available through Saturday, April 18, 2020.
No appointment is necessary, and services are offered in several different languages. Required documents include social security cards or individual taxpayer identification numbers for everybody on the return, photo ID, all tax statements and your health insurance form 1095-A. Recommended documents include your bank account number and routing information and a copy of last year’s tax return. This free tax service is being offered at the YMCA’s Kirkland Teen Union Building (KTUB) from 5 to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Other eastside locations include Bothell at UW Bothell/Cascadia College, Bellevue College, Bellevue Hopelink and Jubilee Reach, also in Bellevue. If you do not need in-person assistance, visit https://www.myfreetaxes.com/, where you can file your taxes online for free.
For more information, including a complete list of locations and addresses, visit: https://www.uwkc.org/need-help/tax-help/?src=freetaxexperts.
The Kirkland Teen Union Building is located at 348 Kirkland Avenue.
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Give Everest Creek a little love on Valentine’s Day. Friday, February 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join the Green Kirkland Partnership and volunteer to help plant native plants along Everest Creek in Everest Park.
This wonderful urban habitat needs your love! Tools, gloves, and materials are provided – for more information and to register, visit the Green Kirkland event page.
Can’t make Friday but want to give some love to a park near you? Volunteers are needed at several stewardship events on weekends in February – checkout the listings on the Green Kirkland Calendar.
Questions contact: greenkirkland@kirklandwa.gov or visit www.greenkirkland.org.
Watch the video below to learn about how our Green Kirkland Partnership stewards share the love all year round.
Each week we will provide an ongoing list of Kirkland’s capital projects that will affect traffic. We will list new projects first. Please consider checking apps such as WAZE or other traffic apps before you drive.
Northeast 132nd Street surface water project
Totem Lake area drivers should expect intermittent delays on Northeast 132nd this month while a City of Kirkland contractor finishes urgent repairs on a failed storm pipe that was contributing to localized flooding.
Forma Construction will keep two lanes of Northeast 132nd Street open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., between 121st Avenue Northeast and 122nd Place Northeast.
The sidewalk on the street’s south side remains closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., as does the eastbound bicycle lane.
The closures allow the contractor to rebuild the sidewalk and repave Northeast 132nd Street’s eastbound lane.
Totem Lake Boulevard night work continues
Lane-closures continue on Totem Lake Boulevard this week while the City of Kirkland and the Northshore Utility District prepare the Totem Lake Urban Center for a series of major investments, including the Totem Lake Connector pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
The lane-closures start at 7 p.m. and continue until 5 a.m. Drivers have access to one of Totem Lake Boulevard’s northbound and southbound lanes between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast.
Starting Feb. 17, the Totem Lake Boulevard lane-closures will occur during daytime hours, as well, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector or www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlake
The Community Safety Advisory group met last night to finalize the financial, capital, and operating recommendations for the City Council to consider for a November 2020 Fire and Emergency Medical Services ballot measure. They deliberated pros and cons for all elements, and staff is including that narrative in the report to Council tentatively set for consideration next month. Community members that are interested in learning along with the ComSAG will be able to access materials online on the City’s website after the meetings. You can watch the January 29th, 2020 presentation and all previous presentations on the City's YouTube channel. All materials handed out at the meetings are also available on the City’s website.
The Community Safety Advisory Group (ComSAG) will meet through March 2020 to review options to improve response times, keep stations seismically sound, and improve firefighter health and safety. The ComSAG will review investments to accomplish goals such as fire station seismic renovation, expansion, additional firefighter staffing, potential training facilities, and funding mechanisms for a November 2020 ballot measure for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. The ComSAG's recommendation to the Council will be presented no later than March of 2020.
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Open House for 132nd Square Park
Wednesday, February 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Kirkland City Hall
The community is invited to an open house to review and provide comment on the 30% design progress for the 132nd Square Park improvement project on Wednesday, February 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Feedback received will help inform the final design. Landscape architects, engineers and City staff will be in attendance to answer any questions. For more information on this project visit the 132nd Square Park page on the City website.
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Application Deadline for Boards and Commissions
Thursday, February 13 at 4 p.m.
The City of Kirkland has adult and youth vacancies occurring on several of its advisory boards and commissions. Interested Kirkland residents, or those meeting the eligibility requirements, are invited to apply. Eligibility requirements differ for each board or commission. Some incumbents on these boards and commissions have served one term, are eligible, and intend to apply for reappointment as noted in the descriptions. Completed applications must be received by the City Clerk prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2020. To learn more about each board and to obtain the community service application, go to the Current Recruitment Positions page, or call the City Clerk’s Office at 425-587-3190.
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Alexander’s Hope Valentine’s Day Dash 5K run/walk
Saturday, February 15 at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 7
Heritage Park
This is the first ever Valentine's Day Dash 5K run/walk organized by Alexander's Hope, a Kirkland-based nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of organ donation and its incredible impact on the lives it saves. Alexander's Hope was founded by the Chaffey family in honor of Alexander Chaffey, whose life was saved by a heart transplant. The nonprofit was also created to help catch undiagnosed heart conditions in young, seemingly healthy individuals. Event organizers plan to make this an annual event. This scenic 5K course travels along Kirkland's sparkling waterfront! Furry four-legged friends are welcome at this event, which offers a participant shirt and finisher's medal. For more information about Alexander's Hope, please visit: https://alexandershope.org/valentines-day-dash/.
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