The next regular meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on June 7, 2022. This will be a hybrid meeting, and community members are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via Zoom. Limited socially distant seating will be available in the Council Chamber, as well as some limited overflow seating.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the items on the agenda for the June 7 Council meeting:
Study Session – Draft Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan Review: The Council will receive and discuss the draft Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan and provide feedback to staff and the City’s consultant for the PROS Plan. The PROS Plan is a six-year guide and strategic plan for managing and enhancing park and recreation services in Kirkland. It provides a vision for Kirkland’s park and recreation system and establishes a path forward for providing high-quality, community-driven parks, trails, open spaces, and recreational opportunities. Council feedback on the draft PROS Plan will be provided to the Park Board for their June 8, 2022 review of the plan. Following the Park Board meeting, the PROS Plan will be brought back to Council for review and potential adoption at the June 21, 2022 Council meeting.
Proposed 84th Avenue NE Speed Limit Change: The Council will consider lowering the speed limit on 84th Avenue NE between NE 124th Street and NE 145th Street from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour. This change is consistent with City policies and will support drivers in complying with school zone speeds, which will improve safety. At a prior meeting, the Council approved additional school zone safety cameras – anticipated to be operational by Fall 2022 – that are being installed along 84th Avenue NE from NE 126th Place to NE 141st Place in the combined school zones of Carl Sandburg Elementary, Finn Hill Middle School and Henry David Thoreau Elementary. Lowering the speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour will make it easier on drivers slowing down to 20 miles per hour in the school zone.
Houghton Village Property - Future Use: The Council will consider adopting a resolution that describes the Council’s objectives for the future use of the Houghton Village property and the community engagement process to achieve those objectives. The City purchased the Houghton Village Shopping Center, located at 10702 NE 68th Street in Kirkland, on May 27, 2022. The acquisition of this property at a competitive price in the heart of a walkable neighborhood near Terrace Park, Lakeview Elementary School, the Cross Kirkland Corridor, Metropolitan Market and the Google campuses with access to frequent transit service offers the City a unique opportunity to enhance the future of this neighborhood while meeting community priorities. The City will continue to lease the space to current occupants and will look to find tenants for the vacant spaces, focusing initially on community based-non-profits serving the Kirkland community. A Request for Proposals or solicitation of interest process with criteria will be developed to identify and select non-profits for the vacant space.
Draft Police Body Worn Camera Ordinance Discussion: The Council will review and provide comments on an initial draft City of Kirkland ordinance on the implementation of an Officer Body Worn Camera (BWC) program. Based on Council comments, an updated ordinance will be brought to a future Council meeting for final review and adoption.
Meeting details: 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 7 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting on the Kirkland City Council agendas webpage. You can also receive meeting agendas in your inbox by subscribing to “City Council Agendas” on the Kirkland email lists subscription page.
How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact 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.
How to participate: Members of the public wishing to address the Council may do so in-person or via Zoom during the “Items from the Audience” part of the agenda. That part of the agenda occurs at the beginning of the Council’s business meeting at 7:30 p.m. Information on the updated comment sign up process to provide comment to the City Council, and on attending the meeting virtually, is available on the City Council webpage.
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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Kirkland Police Department (KPD) today arrested a man at a home in the Kingsgate area, in connection with a shooting that occurred at the residence on March 27, 2022.
The arrest comes after two months of thorough investigation of the shooting, in which police found a man with a single gunshot wound at the home near I-405 and Northeast 132nd Street. At the time, it was learned that the two men knew each other. The victim survived.
Members of KPD’s Investigations and Pro-Act Unit arrested the resident this morning and booked him into the King County Jail.
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Kirkland Fire Department (KFD) joined a regional effort of first responders at Tukwila’s Fire Station 52 to announce the adoption of PulsePoint, a free life-saving mobile app. PulsePoint uses location-based technology to alert community members to a sudden cardiac arrest in their immediate vicinity so they can get to the victim first and start CPR in those critical, life-saving minutes before first responders are able to arrive.
“The PulsePoint app means community members can help save lives,” said Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford. “Whether neighbor or stranger, they can provide immediate help to someone in sudden cardiac arrest when they need it most – in those crucial minutes before medics get there.”
The joint announcement highlights National CPR & AED Awareness Week, June 1-7, 2022, and included other King County fire departments, Medic One Foundation, NORCOM 911, Valley Communications and the King County Fire Chiefs Association.
Adoption of PulsePoint was made possible by a grant from the Aldarra Foundation and Medic One Foundation.
Download the free PulsePoint app for iPhone or Android from Medic One Foundation and help save lives.
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Calling Artists! The City is seeking submissions of sculptural art for the Park Lane Outdoor Sculpture Gallery in Downtown Kirkland. The theme for submissions is The Art of Resilience, seeking works that connect, uplift and celebrate the human spirit and the power of community.
The Art of Resilience will feature selected artworks from between one and six artists. Artists will be paid $1,500 per selected sculpture. The works selected for this public art exhibition will be on loan to the City for a period of twelve months and are available for sale during this time.
This call is open to any artist. The Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission strongly encourages submissions from artists residing or working the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and northern California).
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A new contract for curbside waste collection services with WM begins July 1, bringing updated services and rates. Learn about updated services at a virtual information session and Recycling Center tour on June 14. Find out what's new and all the services available to you. See how your recycling gets sorted and get your questions answered.
Along with updated services, aging equipment will be upgraded to modern, more environmentally friendly options. WM will deploy a new fleet of waste collection trucks that have better safety features, produce nearly zero greenhouse gas emissions, and can identify items that don't belong in the recycling and compost. Failing BigBelly garbage and recycling stations throughout downtown Kirkland will be replaced. New carts and WM uniforms will be made from post-consumer recycled material, supporting the market for recycled plastics.
Under the new rates, bulky item collection will be much more affordable. Additionally, all single-family homes can have one bulky item picked up at no added cost each year. Discounted rates for collection service are available for low-income seniors and disabled residents in single-family homes. Contact Utility Billing at 425-587-3150 or utilitybilling@kirklandwa.gov to learn if you qualify.
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A new Bus Rapid Transit station is coming to Kirkland at I-405 and NE 85th St, and the City of Kirkland is developing a Station Area Plan to consider how to make the most of this regional investment and proactively plan for growth in this area over the next 20+ years. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on June 9 to hear public testimony on Phase 1 of Station Area Plan draft documents.
To help our community understand the proposed plan, City staff set up a display of various posters in the north lobby of City Hall. Stop in between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to view the displays and learn more about the plan. Also, the City will be mailing to all Kirkland addresses a booklet with information on the different elements of the Station Area Plan. Keep an eye out for your booklet in the mail in the next couple days.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/stationareaplan to learn more about the plan and how to participate in the June 9 public hearing to let the Planning Commission know your opinions about the Station Area Plan.
Finally, visit the project webpage to view a recording of the May 18 Community Open House, see the presentation slides, and read the Q&A from the live session: www.kirklandwa.gov/stationareaplan
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Firefighters moved out of Fire Station 22’s 108th Avenue Northeast facility on May 31 to make way for a $12.5 million renovation that will ensure the Houghton-based fire station is more efficient, more resilient, more protective of firefighters’ workplace health and can serve the community for decades to come.
During the 13-month renovation process, firefighters will respond to the Houghton, Lakeview, Bridle Trails and Rose Hill communities from two temporary stations: at 12801 NE 85th St. and 10827 NE 68th St.
They’ll return in summer 2023 to a one-story, 11,148 square-foot fire station that will include a 2,377 square-foot multi-purpose addition. The renovated station will feature three fire engine bays, eight sleeping rooms and an earthquake-resilient structure.
Kirkland voters approved Proposition 1 in November 2020 to protect the health of emergency responders and to improve emergency response times.
While we can’t be sure when, where or why graffiti may appear, it’s certain that graffiti is vandalism and should be taken seriously. The best way to prevent graffiti from recurring is to report it and remove it immediately.
Where to report graffiti:
In Kirkland public spaces, graffiti can be reported via Our Kirkland portal or by calling 425-587-3900. To report graffiti as it’s happening, call Kirkland Police at 425-577-5656. The City does not remove graffiti on private property though - the owner is notified and encouraged to remove it as soon as possible.
On state highway property – such as freeway overpasses or on/off ramps – graffiti can be reported to the Washington State Department of Transportation on the WSDOT graffiti reporting page.
Kirkland Police also share these graffiti prevention tips:
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Keep your neighborhood clean. Remove litter and trash, fix broken fences, trim landscape, and ensure all lighting is working properly to deter taggers.
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Remove graffiti right away. Rapid removal of graffiti is an effective prevention tool.
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Encourage reporting by community members.
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Use graffiti-resistant materials or coatings such as: graffiti-resistant products, textured surfaces, and dark or colorful surfaces.
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Change the environment: add landscaping, install lighting, put up fences, limit access to roofs by moving climable objects away from walls.
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Rain water and wash water carry pollution into our creeks, Lake Washington, and Puget Sound. Did you know approximately 1 in 3 Kirklanders live in an area that drains to Juanita Creek? As Kirkland's largest watershed, it's important that we monitor the health of Juanita Creek to keep it clean and safe for humans and aquatic creatures alike.
Watch this video to learn how Kirkland staff monitors the health of Juanita Creek.
You can take easy steps at home to help keep our water clean:
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Always scoop and throw away dog waste
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Dispose of yard waste in the yard waste bin
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Fix vehicle leaks
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Wash your car at a commercial car wash
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Dispose of paint and chemicals safely
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Minimize pesticide and fertilizer use
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Use cold water and no soaps or chemicals when pressure washing
Join your neighbors in taking Kirkland’s Clean Water Pledge. Visit the City of Kirkland’s clean water pledge webpage to learn more: https://Kirklandwa.gov/CleanWater
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The City of Kirkland is looking for great people! Come join an amazing team doing meaningful work.
Help us publish this newsletter every week, create videos and graphics, and manage content on the City’s website.
Lead the maintenance of some of the City’s infrastructure including streets, sidewalks, ADA ramps, and snow and ice removal. Also responsible for personnel management, financial administration and long-range strategic planning.
Provide complex record-keeping and technical case flow management to ensure the efficient operation of a high-volume municipal court serving multiple jurisdictions.
Kirkland’s Neighborhood Safety Program contractor continues traffic control at Central Way’s intersection with Main Street this week, where its workers are installing a set of rapid flashing beacons.
Northeast 124th Street – Juanita
Night construction continues on 116th Avenue Northeast at Northeast 124th Street, where a Kirkland project to improve traffic flow at the intersection is in process.
Interwest Construction is working from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday to create a new southbound right-turn lane from 116th Avenue Northeast onto Northeast 124th Street.
The contractor is also building a wide sidewalk with street trees and street lighting along the northwest side of 116th Avenue Northeast.
Northeast 132nd Street at I-405 – Juanita/Kingsgate
Drivers will encounter traffic control that will be in place into fall as the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) contractor begins the first phase of major construction.
Travel lanes on NE 132nd Street have shifted south, and left turns are prohibited except onto Totem Lake Boulevard for drivers traveling westbound and into Woodlake Apartments for drivers traveling eastbound.
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 intersection.
For questions about this traffic control or this project, call WSDOT’s project hotline at 425-224-2433.
Cross Kirkland Corridor – Totem Lake
Kirkland’s Totem Lake Connector contractor continues to detour Cross Kirkland Corridor traffic between 120th Place Northeast and 128th Lane Northeast while it builds the pedestrian and bicycle bridge remains in suspension.
Maintaining the detour helps the City of Kirkland avoid the costs it would incur if it ordered Kraemer North America to restore the Cross Kirkland Corridor’s permanent route during the work-stoppage and then to re-establish the detour when work resumes.
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 until the park is completed. The concrete drivers’ strike is delaying completion of the park. 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.
The Lakeshore Parking Lot will be closed for a special event from June 10 through 12.
Planting a Mini Pollinator Garden (in person)
Location: McAuliffe Park, 10824 NE 116 Street
In this hands-on class, learn about the critical role of pollination, how to identify pollinators and beneficial bugs, and how to create an inviting environment for helpful critters. You’ll create your own mini container garden to take home that includes plants to attract pollinators to your home.
National Get Outdoors Day
Enjoy a visit to a State Park for free on June 11 in honor of National Get Outdoors Day. On State Parks Free Days, visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass which is normally required for vehicle access to state recreation lands.
Kirkland has two nearby state parks!
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Bridle Trails State Park is a 482-acre park and a favorite for its horse trails. Parking is located at 5300 116th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA. The park is open 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
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Saint Edward State Park is a 316-acre park along Lake Washington and was once a Catholic seminary. Parking is located at 14445 Juanita Dr NE, Kenmore, WA. The park is open 8 a.m. to dusk.
Washington State Parks offers 12 State Parks Free Days per year. More information about Free Days, including 2022 dates, can be found at Washington State Parks news.
Date: May 26 – October 2, 2022
Location: Park Lane, Downtown Kirkland
A local favorite, Evenings on Park Lane is back and will run through October 2, 2022. The west end of Park Lane between Lake Street and Main Street will be closed to vehicles nightly from 6 to 11 p.m and open to people walking and wheeling until the Park Lane restaurants close for the night.
What an enjoyable way to stroll downtown and shop local.
Date: Every Friday from June 3 to September 30
Location: Juanita Beach Park, 9703 NE Juanita Drive, Kirkland 98034
The City of Kirkland is excited to announce the start of the 16th season of the Juanita Friday Market. Come with your friends, or meet new ones, and enjoy shopping for delicious and nutritious foods, as well as fine wines and locally brewed craft beers. Then try one, or more, of our hot food vendors for a varied menu of offerings. We look forward to seeing you at Juanita Beach on these spring and summer Friday afternoons and evenings.
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