Thanks to everyone who attended and gave comment during Tuesday night's City Council meeting, which took place via the Zoom videoconferencing platform in alignment with current public health recommendations and guidelines.

The public is always welcome at Council meetings, which are a great way to have your voice heard while gaining a better understanding of how your City government operates. The public comment period, identified as "Items from the Audience" on the Council agenda, is your chance to address the Council directly, with both compliments and concerns. We appreciate the community members who spoke and exercised their option to educate our Council on the things that are important to them. 

For more information about Council meetings, including the Zoom link and instructions for providing public comment, please visit the City website. To view this council meeting or any past council meeting, go to Watch Council Meetings on the City’s website.

Mayor Sweet’s Statement on the Chauvin Trial Verdict

Mayor Penny Sweet opened the Council meeting with the following statement:

Today, the jury in the trial of Derek Chauvin found the former Minneapolis police officer guilty of murder and manslaughter charges in the death of George Floyd. We share in the relief felt around the country that justice has been served. 

The death of George Floyd is horrifyingly only one example of far too many deaths of Black and Brown people by some members of law enforcement around the country. Generations of people have been impacted by fear, injury, and death caused by those who don’t fulfill the charge of protecting human life. We are well aware that what happens in Minneapolis or anywhere in the country casts a shadow on all law enforcement. The men and women of the Kirkland Police Department have shown honor, understanding and empathy as we face enormously complex and difficult issues with our community.

We heard from our community through last year’s protests and gatherings that change is needed. We are grateful for the honesty, candidness and courage with which so many are sharing their perspectives and insights.

Today marks a pivotal moment when we saw that our country can do better. It’s a turning point. We must continue to work together to end structural and institutional racism in order to stop history from repeating.

2021 Earth Month Proclamation

Mayor Penny Sweet proclaimed April 2021 as Earth Month in the City of Kirkland. The City of Kirkland has a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, as shown in the Council’s Goal for the Environment “to protect and enhance our natural environment for
current residents and future generations.” In recent years, the Kirkland City Council has made numerous important policy decisions related to its commitment to environmental stewardship. 

Stand Against Racism Proclamation

The Mayor proclaimed the weekend of April 22 through April 25 as YWCA USA's Stand Against Racism Weekend. Stand Against Racism is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in communities. This campaign is one part of its larger national strategy to fulfill its mission of eliminating racism. This campaign provides an opportunity for our community to reflect on institutional and structural racism and be intentional with our own reflection and commitment.

2021 Neighborhood Safety Program Recommended Projects and Neighborhood Street Lights Project Update

The City Council approved by motion the recommended Neighborhood Safety Program projects for 2021 and provided direction to staff about the usage of the School Zone Safety Cameras as a funding source for the 2021 Neighborhood Safety Program. For more information on this presentation, check out the Council packet. 

Moss Bay and Everest Neighborhood Plan Update

The City Council was briefed on the upcoming process to update the Moss Bay and Everest Neighborhood Plans in 2021. Neighborhood Plans are updated on a rotating basis and set forth the vision, goals and policies for the future growth of the areas for the next 10-20 years within the context of the citywide General Elements in the Comprehensive Plan. For more information on these plan updates, visit our Community Conversations webpage. 

The next City Council meeting takes place Tuesday, May 4. For more information on the Kirkland City Council, please visit our website. 

City Celebrates Earth Day with a Step Toward Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Today, April 22, 2021, the City of Kirkland took another step toward fulfilling goals of the Sustainability Master Plan adopted in December 2020 by activating new electric vehicle charging stations for the City’s fleet. Four new charging stations are now operating at City Hall and ten more charging stations will be operational within the next month. The City of Kirkland’s commitment to greenhouse gas emission reduction has been a key part of fleet vehicle acquisition and future purchase planning.

“Continuing to green the City’s fleet is an exciting way for the City of Kirkland to mark Earth Day,” said Kirkland City Councilmember Kelli Curtis. “Transportation alone accounts for about half of Kirkland’s community greenhouse gas emissions. This is one of many actions that the City of Kirkland is embarking on to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and improve air quality.”

The vehicle charging station project constructed by A&R Solar with the help of MZ Solar Consulting expands the City’s sustainable fleet capability and goals.  To continue to make progress toward Kirkland’s emission reduction goals, the City has begun to replace light-duty administration vehicles with full electric vehicles. Currently, the City of Kirkland has 12 electric vehicles in use, in addition to 24 hybrid light duty vehicles. As the electric vehicle market continues to grow, there will be multiple options for replacing vehicles that have reached the end of their useful lives with electric vehicles, such as heavy-duty class 5-8 trucks.

For over 20 years, the City of Kirkland has implemented various policies, regulations, and programs to protect the natural environment. The City’s best defense against climate change comes from fostering a resilient natural environment, planning thoughtfully, and engaging with the community. In 2020, the City Council adopted a Sustainability Master Plan, a plan to identify community priorities for environmental, economic, and social sustainability; explore specific actions that the City might undertake to support the identified priorities; and prioritize the action items in a clear implementation plan.  More information about the Sustainability Master Plan can be found at www.kirklandwa.gov/sustainabilityplan.

At its regular meeting on April 20, 2021, the Kirkland City Council proclaimed April 2021 as Earth Month in Kirkland, an annual event inspiring environmental awareness education and activism in communities across the nation. The City of Kirkland invites community members to celebrate Earth Month by taking part in opportunities throughout the month of April to learn about recycling, natural yard care, and how to make their homes more “green.” Learn more and find ways to participate at www.kirklandwa.gov/earthmonth.

When it comes to climate action, there are many paths you can take to help. The question is, where does one start?

We can start at home by taking simple steps to reduce how much energy we use. Many of us have begun replacing light bulbs with LED bulbs, which use a fraction of traditional incandescent bulbs and are more efficient than compact fluorescents bulbs too! If you still have incandescent bulbs, this is a great place to start. Check out the Kirkland Green Home Challenge for more small things you can do around your home. If you want to take a holistic look at your energy use, consider having a home energy audit. This process can point out where you are using energy and how small weatherization projects like sealing your windows or adding insulation can help.

How you get around also has a significant impact on your carbon emissions. The reason for this is that with the exception of electric vehicles, cars account for nearly 30% of the carbon emitted in the United States. Consider reducing your trips or find ways to get to your destination without a car. 

If you really want to understand how much all of your actions impact climate, consider using a carbon footprint calculator. This site will help you see your impact and understand how you can reduce it.

As part of the City’s Sustainability Master Plan, Kirkland has goals to reduce the carbon emissions our community produces. We need your help to meet our goals! See more ideas for doing your part for a healthier Kirkland and world. 

Recycling paint just got easier! There's a new statewide paint recycling program. You can now drop off your leftover latex and oil-based paint at participating stores at no charge.

Visit the PaintCare website to find a drop-off location near you and view a list of accepted products. Accepted products include latex paint, oil-based paint, stain, varnish, and more.

PaintCare is a product stewardship program that provides convenient locations to recycle unwanted paint. The industry-led program reports annually to the Washington State Department of Ecology. A small fee, called the PaintCare fee, is applied to all sales of eligible products in Washington, which funds all aspects of the program. Learn more about the PaintCare Program at www.paintcare.org/WA.

Dashboard Survey

We need your help in becoming a more transparent government! The City of Kirkland is creating new ways to share information with the community about how the City as an organization is performing. Please take our survey here. This survey closes on Friday, April 23. 

This is part of a larger effort of ensuring the safety and respect of Black people and examining and dismantling structural racism in Kirkland. For more information on that effort, please visit the City’s website.

Park Lane Survey

We need your feedback on whether to close Park Lane to vehicle traffic from early May to October, 2021. The City Council is considering closing Park Lane between Lake Street and Main Street to vehicles to support local businesses, respond to community interest, and continue to provide space for people to social distance. Please take this short survey to share your thoughts about this idea. 

Our Park Lane survey closes 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 26, so make sure you give your feedback soon!