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The City Council met on February 1, 2022 – here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
Study Session – Development Services Fee Update: The Council received background information on the organization and function of development services at the City, such as permits. This was part one of a two-part discussion about the cost of those services and whether the Council would like to explore any changes to the fee structure. The Council will continue the discussion on March 1.
Officer Body Worn Cameras Update: The City Council directed staff to engage the community on policies and other issues about a possible body worn camera program. The Council has not decided whether to implement body worn cameras and is anticipated to make the decision in the next several months after the community engagement process.
Tree Code Amendment – Framework for Completion: The Council reviewed Part 3a of the draft amendments to Kirkland Zoning Code Chapter 95 (also known as the “Tree Code”). These include moderate/major amendments, with a focus on tree retention and replacement related to development activity. The Council gave feedback to staff on potential edits. Staff will return to the February 15 Council meeting for further discussion in anticipation of potential action by the Council at the March 1 Council meeting.
To view the Council discussions on these agenda items, visit the City's website.
The full agenda packet and recording of the meeting are located on the City of Kirkland website. The next regular City Council meeting is on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.
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.
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 Dear Kirkland Community,
The City has received numerous questions about King County’s possible purchase of the La Quinta Inn in Kirkland as part of the County’s Health Through Housing Initiative.
King County is considering La Quinta Inn as a possible location for a permanent supportive housing site in Kirkland. As a standard part of
the purchasing process, the County is doing due diligence on the property before making a final decision. The City expects that a final decision on the purchase will be made within days or possibly weeks.
King County is considering La Quinta, as it is the only hotel in Kirkland that meets King County’s criteria. The City does support this potential purchase of La Quinta Inn for permanent supportive housing, with the appropriate operating conditions and community engagement. This is consistent with the Kirkland City Council’s longstanding commitment to actions to support those experiencing homelessness. These actions include investing millions of dollars for human services; funding Helen’s Place, the women and family shelter in Kirkland; investing millions of dollars for low-income housing preservation and construction; and more.
If King County purchases La Quinta, this would become a permanent supportive housing site, which fills a gap in Kirkland’s “continuum of care” for people experiencing homelessness. This site would provide a permanent home, including the stability of privacy, the same bed to sleep in every night, and one’s own bathroom. Tenants will also have connections to health and behavioral health treatment and services, 24/7 on-site staffing, as well as a case manager to help navigate community systems. Studies show these elements create a solid base to begin to rebuild lives. This would not be a homeless shelter.
There would be a screening and referral process for permanent supportive housing. If the County were to move forward, the individuals that would be moving into this housing site will all be enrolled in the Homeless Management Information System. According to King County, no one who “walks up” would get assigned a room – this would no longer be a hotel, and there would be no walk-ins.
Finally, this would not be a safe injection site. If the County proceeds, La Quinta will be providing homes. Like other private residences in our community, substance use that is legal in anyone’s home would be legal here. However, the 24/7 onsite agency staff will directly engage anyone exhibiting problem behaviors due to substance use and offer treatment services. Unlawful activities would not be permitted. Anyone who is unable to abide by the code of conduct and continuously disrupts housing for the other residents would be at risk of expulsion.
The City’s highest priority is the health and safety of our community. The City will ensure this location, if secured, is an outstanding neighbor to the surrounding businesses and residents. The City will require a robust community engagement process to ensure our community has a voice in issues related to the ongoing operations of the site. This includes the identification of the site operator and the development of the code of conduct for residents. As indicated by Mayor Sweet, on behalf of the City Council, in the Council’s letter of support for permanent supportive housing and the Health Through Housing Initiative, “[o]ur continued support of the operations of the site are based on the County’s collaboration with the City on engaging our community.”
While King County has not yet made a final decision about La Quinta, the City and County are already initiating a comprehensive community engagement process. Kirkland staff and Councilmembers are already reaching out to key stakeholders near La Quinta and throughout the community. If the County completes the purchase, the City will promote avenues for engagement broadly though the City’s methods of communication, with our King County partners, and the City invites continued involvement in this process.
Please visit the City’s information webpage about this for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Sincerely,
Kurt Triplett
City Manager, City of Kirkland
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The City Council will hold a public hearing on February 15, 2022, to consider assuming the powers and functions of the Kirkland Transportation Benefit District. This is the next step in the Council’s ongoing consideration of how to fund safer routes to school and other pedestrian and bicycle safety projects.
Under state law, the District is a separate legal entity for which the Council serves as the governing board. Transportation Benefit Districts can raise revenue for specific transportation projects, usually through vehicle license fees (car tabs) or sales taxes.
The public hearing on February 15 is related to the Council assuming the powers and functions of the Kirkland Transportation Benefit District, not whether to enact any changes to fees or taxes. If the Council proceeds with assuming the District’s powers and functions, the City would undertake a significant public engagement process prior to increasing any fees or taxes. The plan for the community engagement process will be included in the materials provided to the Council and community as part of the public hearing.
At its February 1, 2022, meeting the Council approved Resolution R-5511 to authorize the public hearing, which is required prior to making a decision about the District assumption process. At the end of the hearing on February 15, the Council could formally close the hearing and take action to assume the District powers, close the hearing and defer action, or continue the hearing to a future meeting within a total of 60 days.
Information on joining the public hearing as part of the February 15 City Council meeting will be posted to the City’s website. Read the full release on the City’s website.
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 The City is accepting applications for various volunteer boards and commissions beginning today through February 21, 2022. Advisory boards and commissions are an excellent option for anyone who has wanted to have a voice in important decisions that affect Kirkland and work with others to make a positive difference in the community. Several advisory boards and commissions have vacancies.
“Serving on a board or commission can be a rewarding and fascinating experience,” said Kirkland Councilmember Amy Falcone. “To be a truly belonging community, we need diverse voices and perspectives to advise the City Council on significant topics for the community, including parks, tourism, transportation, planning, and design review. I served on the Human Services Commission before becoming a Councilmember, and I found it to be such a meaningful way to help shape Kirkland’s future and serve my community.”
The City’s volunteer boards and commissions are responsible for formulating new ideas, gathering information, hearing and receiving public comments, analyzing complex issues, and making recommendations for specific projects and policies.
Interested Kirkland residents, or those meeting the eligibility requirements, are invited to apply by submitting an application to the City Clerk by 4 p.m. on Monday, February 21, 2022. Eligibility requirements differ for each board or commission. Visit the Current Recruitment Positions page or call the City Clerk’s Office at 425-587-3190 to learn more about each board and find the community service application.
Members of the advisory boards are appointed by the City Council. Virtual interviews will be held on the evenings of March 29 and/or March 31, 2022.
Vacancies are available on the following volunteer boards and commissions:
Youth-specific vacancies are available on the following volunteer board and commissions:
Most boards/commissions hold monthly evening meetings. For more information, visit the Current Recruitment Positions page on the City’s website.
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 Wearing an effective mask is one of the best ways to stay protected right now. Free N95 masks are available at local pharmacies. You may pick up three masks per individual. The CDC offers this guide to using N95 masks and reminds individuals to not wash or microwave the mask.
Public Health – Seattle & King County is encouraging people to get vaccinated, wear masks, and get tested.
Washington State Department of Health will be offering free vaccines on Feb 5 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fanika Foundation Vaccine Clinic at 2432 148 Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98007 as part of their Health-In-Motion Care-A-Van program.
For more information, visit: https://www.doh.wa.gov/
Emergencies/COVID19/Vaccine/CareaVan.
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 Residents in Kirkland and across the state now have another way to receive warning in the seconds before an earthquake hits - with the MyShake App - giving people time to drop, cover and hold on to protect themselves.
The MyShake App was designed by seismologists and engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, and is now available in Washington, Oregon and California as a FREE download for IOS users through the Apple App Store and through GooglePlay for Android phones.
Alerts using the USGS ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system are already available to all mobile phones through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, and through a built-in-earthquake alerting system on the Android Operating System. MyShake provides a third option.
The MyShake App has been downloaded more than 1.6 million times since it was launched in California in 2019 and has successfully delivered alerts to users before shaking for several earthquakes in that state since its release.
Learn more about the MyShake App and other earthquake alert options at mil.wa.gov/alerts.
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Reminder to get your ballots in! You can drop your signed ballot in the mail – no stamp needed – or return to a drop box.
There are two drop boxes in Kirkland. One is at City Hall located at 123 5th Ave and the other is at Kingsgate Library located at 12315 NE 143rd St. Drop boxes close February 8 at 8 p.m. sharp! You can find all 74 county drop box locations here.
Visit My Voter Information to learn more about the ballot measures, to view your voter registration information, and to track your ballot.
Results will be posted at King County Elections.
For questions and assistance, contact King County elections at elections@kingcounty.gov or (206) 296-VOTE (8683).
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At the February 1 City Council meeting, the Mayor, on behalf of the full City Council, proclaimed February 2022 Black History Month. During Black History Month, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements and contributions made by Black people to the social, artistic, cultural, political, economic, spiritual, and national advancement in the United States and beyond.
By proclaiming the month of February 2022 as Black History Month in Kirkland, all community members are invited to join us in commemorating the countless contributions of Black people to our region, our nation, and the world, as well as facing the reality of institutional racism in our community. The City encourages all Kirkland community members to join in conversation, both this month and all year. By coming together, we can create the “beloved community” envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To learn more about the exceptional contributions of Black Americans, community members may visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture website. The Museum has virtual exhibitions, online collections, and an active blog of stories and articles.
Throughout the month, the City will be posting various stories featuring notable figures in Black History in the Pacific Northwest region on its Facebook page, including Dr. Nettie Craig Asberry, Jimi Hendrix, and Dorothy Hollingsworth, featured in the image above.
The City proclamation was read by Councilmember Toby Nixon. To view the proclamation, visit the City website at: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/files/sharedassets/public/city-council/agenda-documents/2022/february-1-2022/5a_honors-and-proclamation.pdf.
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The City of Kirkland is updating the Active Transportation Plan. The Plan seeks to improve pedestrian and bicycle networks by making them safer, better connected, and a viable option for people of all-ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll. You can view the draft plan and submit your comments on the City’s website. Comments will be received until March 11, 2022.
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The City of Kirkland welcomes input on a draft Police Use of Force Dashboard that makes available to the public data on use of force incidents from 2016 through 2020. The published dashboard is a preliminary version of the interface, and the City seeks feedback from the community on ways to make the dashboard as effective as possible.
The use of force dashboard was one of several actions called for in Resolution R-5434, which was adopted by the City Council in August 2020 to help ensure the safety and respect of Black people and to dismantle structural racism in Kirkland.
The dashboard is the result of months of analysis of the Police Department’s use of force incidents by Police Strategies LLC, a third-party vendor that provides both data evaluation and analysis, as well as the public-facing interactive dashboard. Development of the draft dashboard was also informed by community input and industry best practices.
For more information about the creation of the dashboard, read the full news release here.
To access the dashboard and provide input, visit the City’s website.
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Northeast 124th Street – Totem Lake
Kirkland’s Totem Lake Connector contractor is preparing this week to suspend work Feb. 11 on the pedestrian and bicycle bridge due to the concrete drivers’ strike.
Most of Kraemer North America’s work this week will not affect Totem Lake Boulevard or Northeast 124th Street.
However, the detour around the Cross Kirkland Corridor between 120th Place Northeast and 128th Lane Northeast will remain in effect.
Kraemer North America is building a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that will connect the two ends of the Cross Kirkland Corridor that are currently severed by Northeast 124th Street and Totem Lake Boulevard.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector
Market Street – Moss Bay
All aspects of the Market Street and Central Way intersection remain open to pedestrian and vehicular traffic while a Kirkland contractor awaits the end of a labor dispute that has halted the delivery of concrete to construction projects throughout the region.
NPM Construction is rebuilding the intersection’s south leg with concrete bulbouts to reduce the distance pedestrians must travel from one side to the other.
This project, and the installation of rapid flashing beacons at Central Way’s intersection with Main Street, are two of the three projects funded in 2020—and built in 2022—by the Neighborhood Safety Program.
NPM Construction plans to begin installing the rapid flashing beacons at Central Way and Main Street immediately after completing the bulbouts at Market Street and Central Way.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/2020nsp
124th Avenue Northeast – North Rose Hill
Franchised utility operators, such as Ziply and Comcast, are continuing to relocate their utilities this week along 124th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 116th and 124th streets.
Crews are generally working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but may work some nights from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. This work may be impacted by snow.
The City of Kirkland is coordinating the utility relocations as part of its ambitious effort to improve the 124th Avenue Northeast corridor with five automotive lanes, wider sidewalks and elevated bicycle lanes.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/124thavenue
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’s Totem Lake Connector contractor uses the corridor to build the pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The City expects the Totem Lake Connector to be complete by December 2022.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector
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 through January. During that time, SRM Development will continue to 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 2022. 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 at I-405 – Juanita/Kingsgate
Drivers should expect single lane-closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. this week on and around Northeast 132nd Street at Interstate 405 while the Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor delivers construction trailers to the work site.
WSDOT is building a new on-ramp for northbound Interstate 405 traffic and a new off-ramp for the interstate’s southbound traffic. The project will enhance sidewalks and bicycle lanes and will create roundabouts at the ramps’ Northeast 132nd Street intersections.
For questions about these closures, call WSDOT’s project hotline at 425-224-2433.
Visit https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/i-405northeast-132nd-street-interchange-project
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Protecting Wood Framed Homes from Earthquakes: A Foundation Retrofit Class
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February 9, 2022 at 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
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February 10, 2022 at 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
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March 9, 2022 at 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
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March 16, 2022 at 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
This virtual class series highlights Washington Association of Building Officials’ (WABO) newly revised seismic retrofit standard plans for homeowners and contractors.
All classes are free. Pre-registration is required. To register, visit: http://mybuildingpermit.com/training and select the preferred date and time. Registrants will receive a webinar link prior to class start.
This event is hosted by MyBuildingPermit and Simpson Strong-Tie.
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2022 Winter Drive-In Movie Series at Juanita Beach – 'Jurassic Park'
Date: Friday, February 11, 2022
Location: Juanita Beach Park (NW parking lot) - 9703 NE Juanita Drive
Times: Movie starts at 7:00 PM (Parking lot opens at 6:00 PM)
All ages
Bring along your family/friends to watch the original Jurassic Park in the comfort of your own vehicle at Juanita Beach Park. Jurassic Park will be the 1st of 3 movies part of our Winter Drive-In Movie Series. Watch on our new giant 12 foot LED movie screen! All ages are welcome and movies are rated PG-13 and under. Snack vendors will be on site. The event will be held rain or shine, with no refunds. Cars and trucks are acceptable, but please do not bring limos, RV's, buses, or alcohol. Please register for this event based on the size of your vehicle to help insure the best possible viewing for all. Advanced registration is required.
Register online at: https://bit.ly/33F54oh
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