The Kirkland City Council met on January 3, 2023, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
Capital Improvement Projects Acceptance Process – Council adopted changes to the way capital improvement projects are accepted as complete.
Draft Ordinance on Personal Delivery Devices – Council reviewed and provided direction on a draft ordinance concerning regulation of personal delivery devices on the City’s rights-of-way.
Draft 2023 Legislative Support Items Agenda - Council approved 6-1 the City’s 2023 State Legislative Support Items Agenda. The 2023 legislative session is a 105-day session that will begin on Monday, January 9 and finish at the end of April. The Legislative Support Items agenda consists of selected priority issues/items which align with the City’s goals, values, and policy initiatives and are championed by ally organizations, coalitions, and groups.
Proclaiming January 16, 2023, as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - The Mayor, on behalf of the Council, proclaimed January 16 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Community members interested in participating in the Day of Service can join the Green Kirkland Partnership for a day of environmental stewardship. More information below in upcoming events.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
Draft 2023-2024 Work Program - Council reviewed the draft Work Program for 2023-2024 which documents key policy and service priorities for Kirkland and guides the allocation of resources.
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.
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 next City Council meeting is on January 17, 2023.
Join the Kirkland 2044 Conversation
Attend the Kirkland 2044 Visioning Event on January 11 and help shape the future of Kirkland.
Every eight years, our community comes together to help create a vision and policies to guide future growth of the city. Doing so helps ensure the needs and desires of people who currently - or would like to - live, work, learn and play in Kirkland are reflected.
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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.
The City is excited to welcome ten more Firefighter/EMT recruits to the Kirkland Fire Department! More staffing allows KFD to improve response times for fires and emergency medical services, which help keep our community safe.
New positions were made possible by the Fire & Emergency Medical Services levy (Prop 1) approved by voters in 2020, which also invests in fire station renovations and new construction. Thank you, Kirkland voters!
We look forward to seeing our new recruits at fire stations as they begin their training to serve our community.
New year, new way to prepare! Check out this video from the Kirkland Office of Emergency Management to learn how to be prepared for disasters: https://youtu.be/LrobndXhuZo
Stay tuned for upcoming learning opportunities throughout 2023!
Have a real Christmas tree? Not sure what to do with it? This is the best time to recycle your real Christmas tree – at no extra cost! In Kirkland, you can put your tree (unflocked, no decorations and up to 6 feet tall) next to your cart or dumpster during the first two weeks of collection in January, and we’ll take it away for free. Trees taller than 6 feet should be cut down to 4-foot segments. After the first two service weeks in January, you should cut trees down to 3-foot segments and put them inside your yard waste bins. https://www.kirklandwa.gov/recycle
As you start putting away holiday decorations, here are some tips to recycle, donate, or upcycle old, unwanted, or broken decorations:
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Holiday lights – broken lights can be brought to various locations across King County. Find a location here.
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Plastic yard decorations – do not go into your recycling. If they are in good condition, consider donating them at a local Goodwill or post on your local Buy Nothing social media group.
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Greeting cards and wrapping paper – Paper only wrapping (no glitter or foil) can be recycled curbside.
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Wreaths – Branches can be placed in your gray yard waste cart after removing all decorations and metal wires/base. Fake wreaths are not recyclable and can be donated instead.
We are in the middle of winter, and heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. With a few simple safety tips, you can prevent most heating fires:
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
School Zone Safety Cameras Project Delayed
The implementation of the new school zone safety cameras in the Moss Bay and Finn Hill neighborhoods has been postponed due to delays in PSE crews being able to activate the equipment. The City has not begun to issue speeding warnings as originally planned and communicated. We will share the new activation dates when available.
Cross Kirkland Corridor – Totem Lake
A three-week detour around a Totem Lake-section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor goes into effect Jan. 16.
Kirkland’s Totem Lake Connector contractor is closing the corridor, between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast to restore the original trail.
126th Avenue Northeast water main upgrade – South Rose Hill
Work began Jan. 3 on a water main upgrade along 126th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 70th and 80th streets. Kirkland’s contractor is preparing the street for excavation next week.
Northeast 132nd Street/Juanita High School – Juanita
Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists will encounter road construction on Northeast 132nd Street at Juanita High School and on the access road to the school. The project builds a new right turn lane into the High School to increase traffic flow during peak times.
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 and signal pole foundations formed and poured. The project also builds a wide sidewalk with street trees and street lighting along the northwest side of 116th Avenue Northeast. This project is expected to be complete in winter, with final paving occurring in spring.
Date: Friday, January 13, 2023
Location: North Kirkland Community Center, 12421 103rd Ave NE, 98034
Dance the night away with your special guest at our upcoming Snowflake Ball. Everyone is invited to participate in this enchanted evening of music, a thematic craft, and light refreshments. Dress to impress and make sure to have your free professional picture taken for a treasured memory.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Date: Monday, January 16, 2023
• Windsor Vista Park – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Juanita Open Space #1 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Watershed Park – 12 to 2 p.m.
Join the Green Kirkland Partnership for a day of habitat stewardship on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16, 2023, at one of three volunteer events in Kirkland Parks.
Volunteers are needed to help restore critical habitat by removing invasive plants such as blackberry or ivy, planting native plants, and pitching-in with mulching and weeding. With your help, your parks will have healthy and thriving natural areas for years to come!
Date: January 23 and 24, 2023
Location: Kirkland City Hall 123 5th Ave
Looking for a relatively easy New Year's resolution? How about giving blood? Giving blood at least once a year is a small, attainable, and measurable objective that means a lifetime of difference for a patient in need—and comes with cookies! It only takes an hour to make a difference. Start by crossing one goal off your list and donate at City Hall January 23 or 24. You need to be at least 16 years old to donate blood, and all donors need to arrive with photo ID, and wearing a face mask.
Senior Property Tax Public Forum
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave, 98033
Are you one of the 26,000 qualified seniors in King County who have yet to register for the current senior property tax exemption? King County Tax Assessor John Wilson will explain the new eligibility requirements for Senior/Disabled Property Tax Relief that will go into effect in January 2023.
Join this free public forum on Wednesday, January 25 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Peter Kirk Community Center 352 Kirkland Ave.
Lunar New Year
Date: Saturday, January 28, 2022
Time: 2 – 4 p.m.
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave, 98033
Learn about the Lunar New Year, and how it's traditionally celebrated! Enjoy activities that include crafts, food, dancing and cultural demonstrations.
For more information, visit the event page.
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