The next meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on Wednesday, August 3, 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 Business Agenda for the August 3, 2022, Council meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m.:
Tenant Protections Policies – The Council will consider adopting tenant protections based on those recommended by the A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) Executive Board or alternative proposals.
Final Draft of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan – The Council will receive the final draft Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan and will provide feedback to staff before final adoption. The PROS Plan is a six-year guide and strategic plan for managing and enhancing park and recreation services. This final draft PROS Plan was based on a comprehensive community engagement process occurring throughout 2021 and 2022.
Parks Funding Exploratory Committee Formation – The Council will consider establishing a Parks Funding Exploratory Committee. This committee would be made up of representatives from across Kirkland and would meet from September through February 2023. The focus of the committee would be to provide recommendations to the City Council on whether and how to best proceed with a ballot measure in 2023 to accelerate the timeline on enhancing Kirkland’s park facilities and recreational opportunities.
Future of Park Lane Discussion – The Council will hear background information on Park Lane closures to vehicle traffic intended to support Park Lane as a pedestrian-friendly, festival space for community events. The Council will also provide direction to staff on a long-term approach to Park Lane as it relates to closure to vehicle traffic.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council will also hold a Study Session starting at 5:30 p.m., where they will discuss:
Study Session: 2023-2024 Preliminary Utility Rates Discussion – The Council will receive an informational briefing on preliminary 2023/2024 Solid Waste, Water, Sewer, and Surface Water Utility rates and provide direction to staff. Based on feedback and direction from Council, staff will prepare proposed solid waste, water, sewer, and surface water rates for the City Council’s review and discussion at the September 6, 2022, City Council study session.
Study Session: Tax Increment Financing Strategy for NE 85th Street Station Area Plan – The Council will receive background information about tax increment financing and strategy considerations for using it to construct infrastructure in the NE 85th Street Station Area to support and promote redevelopment consistent with the adopted NE 85th Street Station Area Plan.
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 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 also be submitted to CityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov. For additional questions, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (425) 587-3190.
To help community members handle the 90+ degree weather this week, the City of Kirkland’s Parks and Community Services Department opened a cooling center at Peter Kirk Community Center (PKCC), located at 352 Kirkland Avenue. Community members are welcome to stop by to cool off from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, July 26 through Friday, July 29. Pet owners may be accompanied by their crated or leashed cat or dog. The cooling center may be open for additional days. Updates will be provided on the City’s website.
Shaded parking for community members who live in their vehicles will be available at Kirkland City Hall, located at 123 5th Avenue. Designated parking spots will be reserved for vehicle residents. City Hall restrooms are available during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Other options to beat the heat:
King County Library has two branches in Kirkland where community members can cool off during operating hours from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday. Kirkland Library is located at 308 Kirkland Avenue. Kingsgate Library is at 12315 NE 143rd Street in Kirkland.
Or take a break at one of Kirkland’s beaches or splash pads:
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Feriton Spur Park Splash Pads, Cross Kirkland Corridor at 5th Place South
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Kirkland Urban Splash Pads, 425 Urban Plz, Kirkland
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Houghton Beach Park, 5811 Lake Washington Blvd NE
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Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza
The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for the Seattle area, including Kirkland, beginning Tuesday, July 26th through Saturday, July 30, due to dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures expected in the 90s. Extreme heat will significantly increase the risk of heat-related illnesses for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling or adequate hydration.
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Juanita Beach is closed for at least one week due to elevated bacteria levels.
Water quality staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division tested the water on Monday, July 25, and found that the levels of bacteria at the beach exceeded the thresholds for bacteria based on the average of the last three tests. King County crews will return to the beach next week to collect further samples. The beach at Juanita Beach Park will reopen when bacteria levels return to a safe range.
People and pets should not swim, drink lake water, or engage in other water activities at Juanita Beach.
Signs have been positioned to indicate that the beach is closed. City lifeguards will be onsite during the closure to communicate with beachgoers and provide information.
Updates about Juanita Beach Park will be posted on the City webpage.
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Kirkland Police Department (KPD) held its second Guns for Gift Cards exchange on Wednesday, July 20, and took in 60 firearms in exchange for $6,975 worth of gift cards in less than two hours. KPD had to close the event earlier than anticipated after nearly running out of gift cards. This event followed KPD’s first gun exchange in June.
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The City of Kirkland Office of Emergency Management is offering two upcoming opportunities to learn how to be ready and respond to a disaster.
Kirkland CERT Rodeo – Aug 20
The CERT Rodeo is an opportunity for Kirkland residents to refresh and practice their CERT skills and have some fun! Skill review includes hands on practice with fire extinguishers, disaster first aid, team building, communications, and light search and rescue. More details
Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Fall Class – Sept 20, 22, 27, 29 and Oct 1. CERT is a hands-on training that teaches individuals how to prepare their homes and neighborhoods to respond to a disaster. Learn skills like fire extinguisher use, disaster first aid, search and rescue, communications, responding as a team, and preparing for disruptions, emergencies, and disasters.
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Interested in putting on a special event and festival in Kirkland? Want help paying for marketing and operations? There’s still time to apply for a Kirkland Tourism grant – applications are being accepted through Monday, August 8.
For more information on grant funding criteria and to access the 2023 online grant application, visit the City website.
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The Family Violence Unit of the Kirkland Police Department (KPD) is actively recruiting compassionate volunteers to join their Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) program.
Interested applicants must demonstrate a commitment to helping victims and families who have experienced domestic violence (DV). Prior experience in social services is preferred, but not necessary.
If interested, please fill out a Volunteer Application online: Under “Interest in Volunteering” choose “Public Safety/Emergency Services” and specify “DART” in the description box.
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Calling Creatives!
The City of Kirkland and the Kirkland Tourism Development Committee seek proposals from qualified Digital Marketing and Promotion Consultants to support its tourism Explore Kirkland tourism program. The City seeks proposals from qualified consultants to design, create, execute, manage and report on a digital marketing and promotion strategy through the end of 2022. The goal of the effort is to drive traffic to and engagement with the City’s tourism platform ExploreKirkland.com and increase overnight stays at Kirkland-based hotels. The project is intended to serve as a pilot for future digital marketing and promotion efforts in support of Kirkland tourism.
The full details of this opportunity can be found on the City’s website here. Questions must be submitted in writing and can be emailed to tourism@explorekirkland.gov.
The deadline for proposals is August 15, 2022 no later than 2 p.m. PDT.
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Totem Lake Boulevard – Totem Lake
Kirkland’s Totem Lake Connector contractor continues to close a northbound lane from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Totem Lake Boulevard until July 29.
Kraemer North America is closing Totem Lake Boulevard between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast so its crews can continue making progress on the pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakeconnector
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, including the removal of trees in the project area.
Travel lanes on Northeast 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.
Visit https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/i-405northeast-132nd-street-interchange-project
Read the latest about the project on WSDOT's blog: https://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/i-405-kirkland-construction.html
Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Location: Your Neighborhood
Permit applications and requests for Police officers, Firefighters, and Councilmembers for National Night Out are closed, but connect with your neighborhood community to join a Block Party happening near you. See more info about National Night Out.
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The summer season is tough for our community’s blood supply. Book an appointment today and spend just one hour donating one pint of blood to save a life. Thank you!
Blood drives in Kirkland:
August 3, Kirkland City Hall in the Peter Kirk meeting room
August 29 – 31 at North Kirkland Community Center
Appointments are required.
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Become a Firefighter Workshop
Date: Saturday, September 10, 2022
Register by Monday, August 15 at 5 p.m. (PST)
Attend our all-day workshop to learn more about this exciting career and let KFD cover the costs of your firefighter exams.
Kirkland Fire is encouraging people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, and veterans to apply and help us better represent the communities we serve.
Date: Every Evening through 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.
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