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The Kirkland City Council’s next “virtual” meeting takes place Tuesday, June 15. The meeting uses video conferencing technology provided by Zoom. The regular business meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. study session. The agenda for the June 15 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting at: Kirkland City Council agendas.
More ways to watch! Kirkland City Council meetings are now streamed live on City of Kirkland YouTube and Facebook in addition to the live stream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.
Here are a few highlights from the upcoming meeting:
Study Session: NE 85th Street Station Area Plan
Over the past several months, community members have provided ideas and feedback on the future of the NE 85th Street Station Area, and a City Council Listening Session was held on May 26, 2021. At the June 15 Study Session, the City Council will review the staff-recommended alternatives that will be analyzed in the Fiscal Impacts and Community Benefits Analysis. The alternatives include a lower-growth alternative and a higher-growth alternative that fall within the range of alternatives already identified in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). For more information about the NE 85th Street Station Area Plan, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/StationAreaPlan.
Proclamation: Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth recognizes the day of June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed by Major General Gordon Granger that they were “free,” ending 246 years of chattel slavery. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation which had become official January 1, 1863.
Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, special events, picnics, and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment and self-improvement and for planning the future. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are encouraged to join together to truthfully acknowledge a period in U.S. history that shaped and continues to influence our society today.
Business Items Include:
- 2021-2022 mid-year budget adjustment and CIP project closure
- Public safety unmanned aerial systems (drone) pilot test program proposal
- Eviction Zero Campaign and tenant protections
- Revision of Cultural Arts Commission guidelines and bylaws
The full agenda and details will be available on the Kirkland City Council agendas page. Council will accept live spoken commentary under 'Items from the Audience' or ‘Public Hearings’ at regular meetings via Zoom audio/video on a computer or telephone connection. The connection links are provided on each individual meeting agenda. Please see www.kirklandwa.gov/council for more information on how to provide spoken comments. Written comments can be submitted to CityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov. For additional questions, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (425) 587-3190.
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 As the pandemic continues to impact communities, PSE understands the ongoing struggles facing customers. Paying bills can be stressful, but especially during these uncertain times. As you and your family manage the impacts of the pandemic, PSE wants you to know they’re here to help.
PSE has launched an assistance program for customers who may have been impacted by the pandemic. It’s called CACAP and if you qualify, they will credit your account for past-due balances up to $2,500. If you’ve applied before, even if you’ve already received assistance, you are encouraged to reapply, as you may qualify for additional support. Also, by applying for CACAP, PSE will automatically submit your application for HELP, their other energy assistance program, which may provide you with additional financial assistance. Learn more on PSE’s website.
 Each summer the Green Kirkland and the City of Kirkland Parks Department get great questions about the status of the buoys typically placed in the open water of Juanita Bay to reduce boat traffic into the designated wildlife area of the bay.
The City of Kirkland partners with the King County Marine Patrol to install and maintain the buoys in the designated wildlife area. The City reports that King County Marine Patrol is working to get the buoys back out in action. In the interim, there is a map of the protected areas being distributed to local aquatic users and this will be available as a printable pdf on the City of Kirkland Parks webpage soon.
What is the designated wildlife habitat area and why is it important? The waters surrounding Juanita Bay Park, extending 300 feet from the shoreline, are a designated wildlife habitat area. Per Kirkland municipal code (KMC 14.16.050) users may not enter the protected wildlife area, whether by boat (motorized or non-motorized), raft, flotation device, or swimming. In the past, buoys have been set out in the water to indicate this protected area.
Reducing traffic into the bay (even non-motorized craft like kayaks) can reduce disturbance and subsequent impacts to nesting birds and other wildlife that depend on the critical habitat in Juanita Bay. Noise and large objects can scare birds and other wildlife. This may push or ‘flush ’ them off nests, away from their young or away from food sources. If the disturbance becomes constant this may impact their survival or force them out the area.
Birds and other wildlife can be safely observed in their ‘homes’ at a distance with binoculars and other means. Be sure to visit our friends at Eastside Audubon for field trip options and other tips to sustainably enjoy our local wildlife: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/
Cascade Water Alliance offers an annual series of free gardening classes to help you have beautiful, healthy landscapes while using water efficiently.
The 2021 Cascade Gardener classes will be held through Zoom.
- July 8, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Sustainable Northwest Natives – Taught by Peggy Campbell
- July 15, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Rain Gardens in the Pacific Northwest – by Jessi Bloom
- July 22, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Don’t Squish That Bug! Organic Pest Management for the Home Gardener – by Lisa Taylor
- July 29, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Top 10 Garden Tips for Fall – by Christina Pfeiffer
- August 5, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Favorite Native Plants for Northwest Landscapes by Greg Rabourn
- August 12, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. Made in the Shade by Marianne Binetti
For class details and to register, go to: https://cascadewater.org/water-efficiency/cascade-gardener/
 We would like to congratulate Officer Promise Jackson for his successful completion of the police motorcycle operator course and are excited to welcome him as the second motorcycle officer on the Kirkland Police Department’s traffic unit! Officer Jackson joins Officer Greg Spak in an effort to keep our streets safer for all those who live, work and play here. Officer Spak, a Kirkland Police Officer since 2007, earned his motor wings in 2012 and serves as a state-certified Basic Police Motorcycle Operator course instructor. Officer Jackson was hired by KPD in 2017 and has been passionate about traffic safety in his time with the department because of its broad sphere of influence and the way it allows him to positively impact all demographics.
Both Officer Spak and Officer Jackson love their work on the traffic unit because it gives them the opportunity to interact with residents and guests on a daily basis in a wide variety of scenarios. It’s about more than just writing tickets, they said. It’s about safer streets, collision reduction, injury prevention, public education and community building. See the full story on the City of Kirkland Facebook page.
Learn more about Kirkland Fire Inspector Renee Lirette in this new video! In this spotlight, Renee shares what inspired her to join the Kirkland Fire Department, the work she does, and why it’s so meaningful. “I have a strong heart for serving others, and the fire services is a career that demands that we help other people on a daily basis.” Thank you, Fire Inspector Lirette, for sharing your story!
The Kirkland Fire Department (KFD) will begin the hiring process for entry level Firefighter in February 2022. They are planning to hire 20-25 new Firefighters over the next three years primarily funded by the Kirkland voter-approved Fire & Emergency Medical Services 2020 Ballot Measure. KFD will request a list of eligible candidates from Public Safety Testing on February 2022. Candidates must have completed a PST written test and have a valid CPAT from any verifiable CPAT testing center by February 2022. Interviews will start the week of March 2022. Learn more at https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Fire-Department/Join-the-Fire-Department
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108th Avenue Northeast – Houghton/Lakeview
Drivers along 108th Avenue Northeast should expect traffic delays starting May 17 as Marshbank Construction returns to complete Kirkland’s upgrade of water and sewer systems.
Marshbank Construction will be repairing damaged curbs and sidewalk and rebuilding sidewalk curb ramps to improve the corridor’s overall accessibility for all users.
Marshbank will also pave 108th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 53rd and 68th streets.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/108thavewatersewer
Cross Kirkland Corridor – Totem Lake
A detour around the Cross Kirkland Corridor between 120th Place Northeast and 128th Lane Northeast remains in effect while Kirkland contractors use it to make progress on two of Totem Lake’s most ambitious capital projects: renovation of Totem Lake Park and construction of Totem Lake Connector pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
Totem Lake Park is expected to be complete this summer and the Totem Lake Connector is expected to be complete later in 2022.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector or www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakepark.
Cross Kirkland Corridor – Everest/Moss Bay
Cross Kirkland Corridor travelers will continue to encounter a short detour around the trail between Seventh Avenue South and Sixth Street South as construction of the Feriton Spur Park expansion continues.
The short detour will direct travelers to a protected pathway along Fifth Place South. The park’s developer, SRM Development, expects the detour to continue for five months. During that time, SRM Development will restrict parking along the north portion of Fifth Place South.
SRM Development expects to open Feriton Spur Park to open to the public in September. The new park will extend the developed section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor to Sixth Street South with 14 improvements, including a pickleball court, urban farm and the corridor’s first bathroom.
Northeast 132nd Street - Juanita
Drivers commuting along Northeast 132nd Street, between 100th and 97th avenues northeast should continue to expect minor delays while Kirkland’s Fire Station 24 contractor and Puget Sound Energy work in the street to connect and upgrade utilities for the new Fire Station 24.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/firestation24
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GET READY! How to Prepare for a Pacific Northwest Earthquake
with Author Deb Moller
Saturday, June 26, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Online Event. Register Here
For adults. For anyone living along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the threat of a 9.0 mega-earthquake is real. Author Deb Moller puts it bluntly. “When the shaking starts, we’ll be living in the twenty-first century; when it stops, we’ll be living in the 1850s: no power, water, plumbing, phones or internet.”
FEMA recommends being prepared for two weeks of self-sufficiency after an earthquake of this magnitude. Deb Moller's handbook and this program will show you how to do just that.
In addition to being the founder of the earthquake preparedness organization, Cascadia Calling, Moller is a senior fellow at the Center of Excellence for Homeland Security-Emergency Management.
Reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities is available by request. Please contact the library at least seven days before the event for ASL interpretation, captioning services and/or other accommodation for online programs.
Send your request to access@kcls.org.
Get Ready!
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STARs Unlimited Brings the Great Northwest 3on3 Basketball Tournament to Kirkland
After a year of uncertainty, nonprofit organization STARs Unlimited is excited to announce a premiere 3 on 3 basketball tournament in Kirkland. Registration is open now, so make sure you get a spot! The Great Northwest 3on3 takes place Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1, at Northwest University. This all-ages tournament welcomes youth and adults for an athletic experience that the entire family will love! The divisions range from 4th grade boys and girls to competitive and recreational men's, coed and women’s divisions. The Great Northwest 3on3 offers a 4-game guarantee, skill and shooting competitions with prizes, dunk contest, special guest speakers, goodie bags for participants and trophies for the champions.
The tournament will be held in alignment with all public health mandates, guidelines and recommendations. Please check the Stars Unlimited webpage frequently to ensure that you know what to expect on gameday. For more information, including registration costs, visit the STARs Unlimited website.
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