Thank you for taking the time to stay informed and engaged in what is happening in your City. During the Tuesday, August 4 City Council meeting, the Council took a number of important actions. Here is summary of the highlights:

The City Council approved Resolution 5434: Affirming that Black Lives Matter and Approving the Framework for Kirkland to Become a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community Through Actions to Improve the Safety and Respect of Black People in Kirkland and End Structural Racism by Partnering with Those Most Affected.  

During their meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, the Kirkland City Council approved Resolution 5434: Affirming that Black Lives Matter and Approving the Framework for Kirkland to Become a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community Through Actions to Improve the Safety and Respect of Black People in Kirkland and End Structural Racism by Partnering with Those Most Affected.  

R-5434 was drafted based on four key guiding principles:

• Build on previous City work to become safe, inclusive and welcoming.
• Listen, learn and partner with the Black community and People of Color on actions and outcomes.
• Create broad community engagement to identify actions to increase the safety of Black residents and visitors and reduce structural racism.
• Create policy and program outcomes that are specific, measurable, timely and funded.

“The City Council has long been committed to doing the hard work to achieve our vision of being a safe, inclusive and welcoming community,” said Mayor Penny Sweet. “R-5434 continues that commitment and helps us to ensure that Black voices are partners in our efforts to dismantle systemic Anti-Blackness.”

The City Council also approved early action funding requests to facilitate immediate implementation of community outreach elements, transparency elements, and national best practice research elements in the resolution. The Council will approve a fiscal note for these items during their meeting on September 1. These early actions total $380,000 and will fund staff, consultants and technical support to begin the extensive community outreach needed to implement the items in the resolution.

“The City Council recognizes that funding is required to make real change,” said Councilmember Kelli Curtis. “Creating a community where Black people feel safe is going to take both an investment of dollars and a collective investment of time from all members of our community. The Council has made a down payment on these efforts, and we strongly encourage everyone to get involved in this conversation as we move forward.”

More information about R-5434 is available on the City website. Any community members wishing to be involved in this process can contact David Wolbrecht, Neighborhood Services Outreach Coordinator at dwolbrecht@kirklandwa.gov.

O-4720: Rooftop Amenities

The City Council adopted code amendments to increase flexibility for multi-family and commercial structures to provide rooftop amenity space in areas of the City already zoned for more dense development and taller structures. Existing regulations will be maintained on properties that adjoin low density residential zones. 

For those properties where the new, more flexible regulations for rooftop amenities and appurtenances will apply (not adjoining low-density residential zones):

-A new Zoning Code section for rooftop amenities will provide more flexibility in height allowances to provide rooftop decks and common areas.

-Amendments to the rooftop appurtenances (e.g. elevator equipment, stair penthouses, etc.) code will slightly increase the allowed height of appurtenances needed to reach rooftop amenity spaces, with a more predictable review process.

-The amendments also include minor changes to clarify existing regulations.

The City Council approved an enhanced signage plan along Kirkland Way for alerting over-height vehicles before reaching the Kirkland Way Bridge.

The City Council approved Option S-1: Enhanced Signage Only

This signage package is designed to raise driver awareness of the upcoming Bridge and its low clearance.

Option S-1 consists of installing 14 low-clearance warning signs, seven in each direction. The new signs proposed in this option would be larger than the current warning signs. They would provide warning for the upcoming low clearance bridge in graphics and text, and provide directions that over-height vehicles must turn onto one of the side streets. Also, to increase driver’s attention to the warning signs, the plan calls for signs facing the direction of traffic on both the right and left sides of the road.

Thruline Coffee Co. employees Craig Kerrick and Sydney Hunt have adapted smoothly to the ongoing state mandate requiring face coverings in public spaces, both wearing them on and off shift without complaint. Yes, it may be mandatory, but it’s also the right thing to do to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, they agreed.

Sydney has worked at Thruline for nine months, while Craig, Thruline’s Retail Manager, has worked for the custom Kirkland coffeeshop and roastery for 10 years.

“I don't want to get anything, and I would feel horrible if somebody got it because of me,” Craig said. “It's no sacrifice at all.”

Located in downtown Kirkland on Park Lane, Thruline Coffee Co. is known for its welcoming vibe, delicious, freshly roasted coffee, and its authentic, comfortable atmosphere. From the cascade of customer portraits adorning the café’s walls, to the tantalizingly rich aromas of Thruline’s signature blends, the Kirkland-based coffeeshop is a true gem. Formerly known as Café Rococo, Thruline was founded in 2008 by coffee lovers Adam Olson and Kent Beidel, who settled their café and roasthouse in Kirkland’s downtown business district in 2010. 

Like so many Kirkland businesses, Thruline has suffered greatly from the harsh impacts of COVID-19. Although they’ve been able to remain open throughout the pandemic, the café had to reduce its hours and implement layoffs to stay afloat. Luckily, they have a fiercely loyal customer base that has helped sustain them during these challenging times.   

Like most service-oriented businesses in Kirkland, the Governor’s mandatory facemask order has not come without challenges. Largely, their customers have gone out of their way to be supportive, but there are those who take a rigid, oppositional stance on mask wearing, despite the current statewide directive prohibiting individuals from entering a place of business without a face covering.

Even more complex, is when staff are asked to intervene by a mask-wearing customer offended by someone who has temporarily removed their mask. This is one of the intricacies of the Governor’s order; businesses are disallowed from conducting in-person business with a customer in a public setting not wearing a face covering, but individuals may remove their face coverings while eating or drinking.

This ambiguity can be challenging to navigate, and it puts service industry professionals in a really tough position, said Sydney. Facemask enforcement is not something she ever anticipated she’d need to add to her responsibilities as a customer service professional. Luckily, mask conflict is not something that happens too often.

“Most of my customers have been wonderful about the masks,” Craig said. “They're good people.”      

“We have great customers,” Sydney agreed. “They're amazing.”

Sydney is grateful she’s been employed throughout the pandemic and would rather wear a mask in public and have more businesses open, then be stuck with another “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order with everything closed.

“For me, personally, I'd rather work and wear a mask than be home and go crazy,” she said.

Thruline Coffee Co. is located at 136 Park Lane in downtown Kirkland.

Kirkland Animal Control Officer Jennifer Matison will be available at the Juanita Friday Market on Friday, August 14 to answer all your questions about pet licensing!

By law, all dogs and cats twelve weeks old and older owned by Kirkland residents must be licensed and vaccinated against rabies. Licenses expire after one year and must be renewed on or before the date of expiration.

Pet licenses provide identification if a family pet is lost and allow a quick reunification once the animal is found. If your pet is found and has a license, Officer Matison will attempt to reunite you with your pet immediately, so you don’t have to go to the animal shelter to pick it up. The fees collected from pet licenses go directly into Kirkland’s Animal Services Program to provide service, education and enforcement.

Did you know you can order free water conservation tools from Cascade Water Alliance? Tools like shower heads, faucet aerators, and rain gauges help conserve water inside and outside your home. For the month of August, Cascade is waiving the shipping fee, so the orders are completely free of charge. Take advantage of this special limited time offer! Find out how to order your water conservation tools.