The Kirkland City Council met on November 15, 2022, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
2023-2024 Budget Process – The Council considered some amendments to the 2023-2024 Preliminary Budget in preparation of budget adoption on December 13.
Public Hearing - Preliminary 2023 Property Tax Ordinance – The Council held a public hearing on the budget and the preliminary 2023 property tax levy.
Public Hearing – Planned Action Ordinance for the NE 85th St Station Area – The Council held a public hearing on the draft Planned Action Ordinance (PAO) for the NE 85th St Station Area. This draft PAO excludes the planned Google campus on the Lee Johnson site, which was the subject of an independent PAO adopted in September 2022.
Station Area Plan - The Council received an update on the Station Area Plan planning process, focusing on Phase 2 Form-based Code and an update on the 120th Ave NE corridor study.
Aquatics and Recreation Center - The Council received a presentation and provided direction about an Aquatics and Recreation Facility Feasibility Study, which will be used to inform a potential 2023 Parks Ballot Measure(s).
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
Health Through Housing Draft Agreement with King County - City Council reviewed and provided feedback on the proposed working draft Permanent Supportive Housing Agreement between the City of Kirkland and King County as well as the proposed working draft Services Agreement between the County and the future operator of the designated permanent supporting housing facility in Kirkland.
The City Council reviewed updates to the Preliminary 2023-2028 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and related emerging issues and provided direction to be incorporated in the Council adoption of the CIP on December 13, 2022. The Council also received proposed amendments to the Preliminary 2023-2024 Budget based on previous Council feedback.
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 City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.
To watch the Council discussions on the specific agenda items outlined above, visit the City’s website. The full agenda packet with information on each item is located on the City’s website. The regular City Council meeting scheduled for December 6 has been cancelled. The City Council will hold a special meeting on December 13, 2022.
It’s not too late to provide feedback on the 2023-2024 Budget
The City Council held the third of three public hearings on the budget on November 15. The Council is anticipated to adopt the 2023-2024 budget at its December 13, 2022, meeting.
Give feedback and learn more about the budget by visiting the City’s webpage.
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Share Your Thoughts on the Northeast Transfer Station King County Solid Waste Division would like to hear from you about the Northeast Recycling & Transfer Station project. Visit the online open house between now and January 17 to learn more and provide comment.
And join one of the upcoming Scoping Meetings to share what is important to you and what you think the project team should consider. The first Scoping Meeting is December 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Lake Washington HS. Read more at King County Solid Waste.
How can I contact the City with questions, requests, or suggestions?
You can always contact City staff through the Our Kirkland service portal, available on the web and mobile app. Submitting your comments through Our Kirkland ensures the right staff receives the information and is able to follow up with you.
 Kirkland Police Department (KPD) recently graduated its 2022 Community Police Academy class. Twelve participants completed seven weeks of exciting, hands-on instruction and got a firsthand look at what officers experience every day, from conducting a mock traffic stop to de-escalating a simulated situation involving weapons.
Read more.
The holidays are coming up and some pet families could use your help - consider donating non-perishable pet food to our Pet Food Drive. Just drop off your unopened pet food at one of two locations:
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Kirkland Police Department at 11750 NE 118th Street
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Kirkland City Hall lower level, 123 5th Avenue, Kirkland.
Donations will benefit Everett Animal Shelter, Woodinville Storehouse Food Bank and Pasado’s Safe Haven. Donations are being accepted now through December 31. Help make the holidays happier for pets and their families who might need a little support this season!
This is also a good time to remember to license your pets! Pet license fees allow Kirkland to have a full-time Animal Control Officer, who helps ensure that lost pets are returned to their owners swiftly. If properly licensed with a City of Kirkland pet license, lost pets can be easily identified by their license number and get a free ride home.
November 14 through 18, 2022, is Crash Responder Safety Week. Three injury crashes occur every minute in the United States, putting nearly 39,000 incident responders potentially in harm's way every day.
To respect our roadside heroes, please help keep our first responders safe by slowing down and moving over when you see firefighters, police, public works and others out working to save lives and keep our community safe.
According to Washington’s Move Over Law, RCW 46.61.212, drivers approaching an emergency zone are required to either move over to another lane in the same direction, if it is safe to do so, or if a driver is unable to move over safely, proceed with caution and reduce the speed of their vehicle.
Stay safe and alert out there!
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One of the goals of Prop 1 is to provide gun safety information in order to reduce accidental injuries and deaths involving firearms. As part of the program, KPD offers complimentary gun locks to those who request one. If you live in Kirkland and would like a free gun lock, please email: police@kirklandwa.gov and include your name and mailing address.
Prop 1 has also allowed the KPD to create an educational video series about firearm safety, including firearm responsibilities, liabilities, and laws around firearm ownership, as well as safe storage and using gun locks.
Up next: KPD Gun Safety Class, November 30. Stay tuned for details.
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Stay & Play with Kirkland Ca$h is launching this month just in time for the Support Local Season! Kirkland Ca$h is the City of Kirkland’s community currency and supports Kirkland’s local hotels and small businesses. Watch for program details in the coming weeks...
No family should go without food. Help address food insecurity for families of Lake Washington School District (LWSD) this holiday season with Nourishing Network – a regional coordination of people and organizations who provide food to people in need. Donations are welcomed and all proceeds go directly toward food resources for LWSD students and their families.
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King Conservation District (KCD) is holding its annual Board of Supervisors Election. The window to file as a candidate is open December 5 through 9, 2022.
KCD is a special purpose district committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources. It serves over two million people in 34 cities and unincorporated King County. The election will take place January 24 through February 14, 2023, via online ballots.
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The Parks Funding Exploratory Committee met for the fifth time on November 10. The committee learned about what goes into the City’s recreation programs, classes, and community events. Watch a video about the City’s recreation programs that was shared at the meeting.
The Committee also dug deeper into recommendations from the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, and Planning and Building Director Adam Weinstein shared an overview of population projecting and city planning. Find copies of the presentations on the City website.
The committee will not meet again this month but will resume in December.
City administrative offices are closed on November 24 and 25 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Fire, police, and other critical services will remain fully operational. City services normally accessible through email, the Our Kirkland service portal, and over the phone will resume at 8 a.m., Monday, November 28.
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With over 907,000 ballots returned across King County, Kirkland had over 67% turnout on voting this midterm election. That’s more than 37,000 ballots counted from Kirkland. Way to get out the vote and share your voice this election season!
To view election results, ballot return statistics, and keep your voter registration up to date, visit KingCounty.gov/Elections.
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Northeast 124th Street – Totem Lake
Kirkland’s Totem Lake Connector contractor is planning to close a Totem Lake Boulevard lane from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 while its crews pour concrete for the pedestrian and bicycle bridge’s lookout, 11th span and junction boxes.
Lakeview Drive – Lakeview
Kirkland’s 2022 street paving contractor is alternating lane-closures next week on Lakeview Drive between Lake Washington Boulevard and Northeast 64th Street while its crews re-establish the maintenance hole lids they removed before grinding the street and re-paving it.
The daily lane-shifts begin at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.
Northeast 132nd Street at I-405 – Juanita/Kingsgate
Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists will encounter continued construction as WSDOT’s contractor builds a new interchange for Interstate 405.
For questions about this traffic control, or other questions about this project, call WSDOT’s project hotline at 425-224-2433.
Northeast 124th Street – Juanita
Drivers continue to encounter construction at 116th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 124th Street, where a Kirkland contractor is constructing a new right-turn only lane to improve traffic flow.
Interwest Construction is shifting between day work and night work to get the sidewalks formed and poured. The project also builds a wide sidewalk with street trees and street lighting along the northwest side of 116th Avenue Northeast. Most work on the project is expected to be complete by the end of the year, with a final paving occurring in Spring, 2023.
Juanita Elementary Holiday Bazaar & Silent Auction
Location: Juanita Elementary School, 9635 NE 132nd St
The annual Juanita Elementary Holiday Bazaar is a neighborhood favorite featuring local artisans and small businesses. Shop for the holidays from a wide variety of local artisans and bid on silent auction baskets while benefiting the school’s Outdoor Ed program.
Browse vendors and find more information available at the PTA webpage.
Eastside residents have an opportunity to learn about and purchase discounted heat pump systems through Energy Smart Eastside, a multi-city energy efficiency program.
Heat pumps are highly efficient heating (and cooling) systems that use less energy than traditional electric heating systems and can result in lower utility bills.
To qualify for the Energy Smart Eastside discount, attend a free, 1-hour virtual workshop.
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Upcoming Green Kirkland Partnership Stewardship Events
Pre-registration is requested from participants and new events are being posted on a rolling basis! Visit our 'What to Expect' page for current pandemic safety, youth waiver guidelines and more.
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Wednesday, November 23, 2022, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
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Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
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