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Table of Contents:
Thanks to all who attended the July 20, 2021 City Council meeting, which took place via the Zoom videoconferencing platform. We are grateful to have such an engaged community. Thank you!
Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live on the City of Kirkland Facebook page and the City YouTube channel, in addition to the livestream 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 meeting:
Study Session:
Cross Kirkland Corridor Master Plan Update
The City Council received an update about the progress made to date on implementing the Cross Kirkland Corridor Master Plan, and about other activities related to the corridor, and provided guidance about whether and how to update the plan.
Capital Improvement Program—Operational Enhancements
The City Council received a presentation and had a discussion during the study session that reviews analyses, comparisons, action items, and steps taken by the Department of Public Works to enhance the operations of the Capital Improvement Program Division to better align service delivery with long-range plans and policy direction and assure quality of work.
Proclamation: Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day Proclamation
Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. The law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, assuring them of equality of opportunity, full community participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.
The City Council proclaimed July 26, 2021 as Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day in Kirkland. By doing so, the City reaffirmed its commitment to being a safe, inclusive, and welcoming community for people with disabilities and invited the community to celebrate the 31st anniversary of this civil rights law and the many contributions of individuals with disabilities to our community.
Business Items:
Tenant Protections and Rental Relief: On June 15, 2021 the Kirkland City Council passed an eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021, to allow time for tenants and landlords to apply for assistance with unpaid rent during this time. At the July 20 meeting, the Council received an update on tenant protections and rental relief programs and took action to clarify the intent of the eviction moratorium.
Affordable Housing: Also at the July 20 meeting, the City Council approved the adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle for the purposes of permitting Community Roots Housing Public Development Authority (PDA) to provide affordable housing in Kirkland.
To view the Council discussions on these agenda items, visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/City-Council/Council-Meeting-Minutes-and-Agendas/Watch-City-Council-Meetings. The full agenda packet and recording of the meeting are located on the City of Kirkland website at: www.kirklandwa.gov/council. The next City Council meeting is on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
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 Renovation of David Brink Park is set to begin in August and will include shoreline renovations and accessibility improvements. This waterfront park located south of downtown will be closed during the estimated six months of construction. The project features the replacement of failing bulkheads at the north and south ends of the park with softened shorelines and a new accessibility pathway from Lake Washington Boulevard to the water’s edge at the north end of the park.
Construction south of the pier will create water access at a new pocket beach, replace the concrete steps into the water, and create a new viewing area. The pier will receive new decking that will benefit juvenile salmon, structural reinforcements, and updated benches. At the northern edge of the park, the project expands the existing beach cove above the high-water mark, so there will be a small beach for enjoyment during summer. Through City Council advocacy, $500,000 of the $2 million project budget is provided by the State of Washington through the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
“While these renovations are for preservation and accessibility purposes, it also will create a more beautiful park for the whole community to enjoy,” said Kirkland Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold. “Concrete bulkhead walls will be replaced with direct water access at two beach coves. This project provides an example of an attractive alternative to concrete bulkheads for other waterfront properties in Kirkland and on Lake Washington.”
The sidewalk, bicycle lane, and parking along Lake Washington Boulevard fronting the park will be open throughout construction. Because of regulatory requirements concerning work in the lake itself, construction of this type may occur only between July 16 and March 15 each year, which for construction projects is called the “fish window.”
“The City regrets that this great waterfront park will be closed during the sunniest months of the year, but this is the best period of time to start construction without the risk of inclement weather prolonging the project,” said Director of Parks and Community Services Lynn Zwaagstra. “However, the improvements we are making will be lasting and will make David Brink Park more accessible and even more enjoyable for years to come.”
For more information about the project, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/davidbrink
Drivers should expect parking lot and street closures as Kirkland Summerfest returns to the shores of Lake Washington July 30 through August 1, 2021. The Lakeshore Plaza and auxiliary lot will be closed from Friday, July 30 at 4 a.m. to Sunday, August 1 at 8 p.m. Access to the garage, limited parking for appointment-based merchant services, and event-displaced accessible parking will be available in the Lakeshore Lot’s north bay. Lakeshore Plaza and Kirkland Ave. from Lake St. to the City dock will be closed from Friday, July 30 at 4 a.m. to Sunday, August 1 at 8 p.m. Vehicles parked in closed lots or on closed streets will be towed.
This three-day event includes a KidZone, night market, musical performances, outdoor entertainment, food, local beers and wines, and interactive activities for all ages. Kirkland Summerfest supports many other local nonprofits including Chump Change Foundation and the Kirkland Downtown Association.
Event organizers expect 10,000 attendees will participate in the event. Event goers are encouraged to carpool and plan for their parking in advance. For bus transportation, go to http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/. For event information, go to www.explorekirkland.com. For permit information contact, Sudie Elkayssi, Special Projects Coordinator, City of Kirkland Parks & Community Services, 425-587-3347 or selkayssi@kirklandwa.gov.
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 Most people try to keep their distance from bees, having developed an instinctive wariness after a painful sting or two. But Bellevue resident and citizen scientist Jim Maurer does the exact opposite. He not only seeks bees out on purpose, but actively pursues them in a quest for data. Jim is a volunteer researcher for the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas, a collaborative project that works to track and conserve the bumble bees of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
The project is currently focused on declining native bumble bee species, which made Juanita Bay Park a prime target for his research. Juanita Bay has been identified as a “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” (SGCN) zone, which means that several rare bumble bee species are thought to nest and forage in the park. Jim reached out to Kirkland’s Parks & Community Services in June to get permission to conduct a survey, which Parks granted, as Juanita Bay is home to our new pollinator meadow.
At its core, the purpose of the research is to understand the cause of bumble bee declines so that conservationists can figure out how to save them. Bumble bees are vital pollinators, helping to sustain our natural environment and our food supply. Most people think of honey bees as our only food pollinators, but many crops, including tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, squash and others, are only pollinated by bumble bees.
Watch for the full story on the City’s Facebook page. For more information on Kirkland’s parks, please visit:
https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Parks-and-Community-Services.
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The Kirkland Police and Fire Departments encourage the Kirkland community to plan neighborhood events for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. Held annually on the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out is a nationwide campaign meant to enhance relationships between communities and first responders while promoting crime prevention, community building, and police-community partnerships.
Meant to lower barriers, bridge gaps, and bring people together, nothing captures the essence of community quite like National Night Out. Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide. In addition to block parties and cookouts, National Night Out provides an opportunity to interact with Kirkland’s law enforcement and fire service professionals.
Find the full news release on our website and visit our National Night Out webpage to learn more about how to request first responder presence at your neighborhood block parties!
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 King County Metro Transit is looking to co-create with community a definition and vision of what it means to be safe on and at Metro. To help inform Metro’s efforts, the “Creating a Safer Metro” survey is available now through 11:59 p.m. July 25. This survey takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete and will help Metro further shape the definition and vision of what it means to feel and be safe.
Metro wants to hear from the communities it serves and its employees on what is needed to make people feel safe on transit, at bus stops, and at its other transit facilities. The information gathered in this process will help Metro establish what safety means, develop its community guidelines, and create a vision statement that will focus its work in the development and implementation of Metro’s Safety, Security and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) Reform Initiative.
Meant to reimagine safety and security, SaFE stems from King County Executive Dow Constantine’s prioritization of anti-racism in King County’s 2021 – 2022 budget and King County Metro Transit’s deepened commitment to equity. SaFE seeks to reform and restructure security and fare enforcement policies and practices so that the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities are no longer disproportionately and negatively impacted by these types of policies and practices due to the challenges of systemic racism.
For more information, please see the Metro Matters blog post. Thank you for being an engaged community! The survey is available in the following languages: English, Amharic, Arabic (modern standard), Chinese (traditional), Dari, French, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
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98th Avenue Northeast – Juanita
Late night and early morning travelers should expect lane closures until August along 98th Avenue Northeast, between Forbes Creek Drive and Northeast 116th Street, as a Kirkland contractor prepares to repair and repave the roadway.
Lakeside Industries will be working in the roadway between 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Search “98th Avenue Northeast repairs on www.kirklandwa.gov.
108th Avenue Northeast – Houghton/Lakeview
Drivers along 108th Avenue Northeast should continue to expect traffic delays into July as Marshbank Construction completes Kirkland’s upgrade of water and sewer systems.
The contractor’s crews are working 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Northeast 53rd and 68th streets to replace the maintenance hole lids they removed before they began the paving process.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/108thavewatersewer
Totem Lake Boulevard – Totem Lake
Drivers traveling south on Totem Lake Boulevard will encounter the closure of the right turn slip lane that connects to westbound Northeast 124th Street.
Drivers will take a right turn at the signalized intersection. Commercial trucks will have a detour, as they cannot make the turn at the intersection.
The lane closure facilitates construction activity for the Totem Lake Connector bridge project.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector
Cross Kirkland Corridor – Totem Lake
A detour around the Cross Kirkland Corridor between 120th Place Northeast and 128th Lane Northeast remains in effect while a pair of Kirkland contractors use the corridor 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 completed this summer and the Totem Lake Connector is expected to be completed 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 is directing 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 parallel, on-street 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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FREE LUNCH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS
Mondays – Fridays | Now until August 27
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
12315 NE 143rd Street, Kirkland, WA 98034 | 425-821-7686
Nourish your body and brain while you read this summer at the Kingsgate Library!
Visit the webpage for more details!
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Recycle, Reuse and Shred on July 24
Saturday, July 24, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (or until truck is full)
Northshore Church parking lot, 10301 NE 145th St, Kirkland 98033
Recycle household electronics and old clothes and textiles (even ripped or stained) at this free recycling event hosted by Waste Management and the City of Kirkland. Shred confidential papers and donate usable household items for reuse. Co-hosted by Waste Management and City of Kirkland. See event listing for all accepted items and event details: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Whats-Happening/Community-Events/Public-Works-Department-Events/Think-Green-Recycling-Event
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Event Type: Kids/Outdoor Fun
PopUp StoryWalk Summer Diverse Book Series at Kirkland Urban
July 31 – August 19 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
From July 31 to August 19, Kirkland Urban is hosting a PNW-fav interactive experience – PopUp StoryWalk! The ‘Summer Diverse Book Series’ will be displayed outside of the Kirkland Urban Plaza for children and families to enjoy at their leisure. The experience is free and open to the public, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
PopUp Storywalk is a local program aimed at encouraging a lifelong love of learning and appreciation of the outdoors and is designed to rotate a variety of children's books as it travels to different destinations. This will be the second time PopUp StoryWalk is available at Kirkland Urban.
Admission: Free | Tickets Required: None
Venue Information:
Fountain Court
425 Urban Plaza, Kirkland, WA 98033
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Kirkland Cornhole Classic Tournament
Friday, August 6, 7 p.m.
Under the lights at Lee Johnson Field, join us for a cornhole competition for the ages! Limited space available, sign up your team early to reserve a spot.
Bags start flyin' at 7:00 p.m. Check-in begins at 6:30 p.m. at Lee Johnson Field on Friday, August 6.
- Round Robin Style Tournament
- Championship shirts to the winners
- We provide the cornhole bags
- $20/Team for Residents
- $24/Team for Non-Residents
Register today at https://bit.ly/3j7029x
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Sun, Set, & Spike Grass Volleyball Tournament
Wednesday, August 25 and Friday, August 27
Join us for our first Sun, Set, & Spike Grass Volleyball Tournament at Lee Johnson Field at Peter Kirk Park!
We will be hosting a round robin tournament on Wednesday, August 25 and Friday, August 27. We will be offering a COED and Women's division. COED teams must have 2 men and 2 women to participate.
This is a 4 on 4 tournament and all levels are welcome! Team managers will register their team under the division of their choice. Game times will be sent out one week before the tournament starts.
The winning team from each division will win a prize!
Register your team today at https://bit.ly/35Mis7B
For tournament rules visit: teamsideline.com/sites/kirklandwa/downloads
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The Great Northwest 3on3
Stars Unlimited
July 31 and August 1 - Registration open NOW!
This tournament takes place on Northwest University’s beautiful campus and invites competitive basketball teams from all over the state and beyond. The divisions range from 4th grade boys and girls to competitive and recreational men's, coed and women’s divisions! This tournament 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!
For more information about this event, please visit the event website! Are you interested in volunteering? Reach out to event organizer Jason Waltman at: jwalt20.lifechurch@gmail.com.
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