The Kirkland City Council met on October 3, 2023, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
Council received a special presentation of the City’s first Smart City Master Plan, which is intended to help the City use technology more efficiently and effectively when implementing existing functional plans.
Council received a presentation and provided direction on the process and community engagement plan to update the Juanita and Kingsgate Neighborhood Plans in 2023 and 2024.
The Mayor proclaimed October 2023 as Disability Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Walk and Roll to School Month and October 9 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, which included:
- A special presentation from staff of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority on the Authority’s 5 Year Plan.
- Updates on the King County Health Through Housing Project in Kirkland.
- A new City initiative: the Coordinated Response to Homelessness.
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 October 17, 2023.
Learn More About the Parks Ballot at an Upcoming Open House
All Kirkland community members are invited to attend one or more informational open houses with City Manager Kurt Triplett and Parks and Community Services Director Lynn Zwaagstra to learn about Kirkland Proposition 1: Levy Lid Lift for Expanded Aquatics, Recreation, and Parks Facilities, Operations, and Programs on the November 7, 2023 ballot.
• Thursday, October 5 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. at North Kirkland Community Center, 12421 103rd Ave NE, Kirkland 98034
• Monday, October 16 from 6 – 7 p.m. at City Hall, 123 5th Ave, Kirkland 98033
• Wednesday, October 25 from 12 – 1 p.m. online via Zoom, register for the link
Accommodations and Alternate Formats: The City of Kirkland is committed to accommodating citizens with disabilities and special needs. Persons with disabilities may request materials in alternative formats. Persons with hearing impairments may access the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service at 711. If you need assistance participating this event, please call us at 425-587-3300 or TTY/TTD 425-587-3111.
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 can follow up with you.
On September 28, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) announced nearly $1.3 million in federal funding to establish a new comprehensive substance use treatment program at the Kirkland City Jail.
The City will use this funding to create a holistic and evidence-based program that includes screenings, on-site treatment, support services, and reentry planning for incarcerated people with substance use issues. Through partnerships with peers and community resources, the program aims to reduce repeat offenses, overdose cases, and the tragic impacts of substance use in the community.
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Community members are invited to Kirkland’s Third annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 7! This free event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Juanita Beach Park, located at 9703 Juanita Drive NE in Kirkland.
“What better way to welcome in Fall than at our annual Harvest Festival!” said Kirkland City Councilmember Toby Nixon. “There’s something fun for everyone at this event.”
Harvest Festival will feature a food trucks arena with live music, artisan food and craft vendors, and apple cider pressing. Fun contests include pie eating, corn shucking, and a cornhole tournament. The “Kid's Korral” will have faux cow milking, bull roping, ring toss, horseshoes, pumpkin bowling, crafts, and pony rides.
Harvest Festival is put on by the Kirkland Parks and Community Services Department and is sponsored by Amazon, Google, and Neal Smile Orthodontics.
Parking is limited on site. Please consider walking, riding your bike or taking a bus to the event. A shuttle will depart every 15 minutes from North Kirkland Community Center to the event.
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The Kirkland Police Department (KPD) is once again participating in the Pink Patch Project – a campaign to bring attention to the fight against breast and other cancers – and they invite you to join!
Now through November 6, you may see uniformed Kirkland Officers wearing a pink Police or Corrections patch on their uniforms to show their support.
Interested in supporting? Here’s how you can!
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Purchasing a $10 patch online: KPD is partnering with the Pasco Officers Association to make pink Kirkland Police or Corrections patches available here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PascoOfcAssoc
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Making a donation directly to Footprints of Fight. Proceeds from the Pink Patch Project benefit this King County-based charity that supports families in Washington going through pediatric cancer treatment.
Please join us in supporting this important cause.
During Walk to School Week October 2-6, students and families are encouraged to walk to and from school each day. On October 4 - Walk & Roll to School Day - students at Juanita Elementary, Rose Hill Elementary and other schools got to meet Kirkland Police officers and Kirkland firefighters who greeted them as they walked or biked to school.
Encouraging kids and families to Walk & Roll to School is just one element of Kirkland’s Safer Routes to School Action Plans, adopted by the City Council to identify key steps to make walking, rolling, and riding the bus to school safer and more convenient in our community.
Thank you to all who participated!
Starting the week of October 9, the western portion of the parking lot at Juanita Beach Park will be closed for repaving. This project is expected to take about two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
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Thank you to all who donated blood during the September 20 & 21 Bloodworks Northwest pop-up blood drive at City Hall! There were 9 first-time donors. All together, Bloodworks Northwest collected 63 units of blood which will go directly to local hospitals to maintain a stable supply.
Missed this drive and want to donate? Sign up for the November 29-30 drive at City Hall.
The City of Kirkland has received questions related to the flooding along NE 132nd Street under I-405 that occurred earlier this week and is posting the following to inform our community about those events.
To support pedestrian and motorist safety, NE 132nd Street under I-405 was temporarily closed both on Sunday and Wednesday due to standing water. Various factors led to the flooding, and measures have been put in place to avert the situation moving forward.
For reference, the new I-405/NE 132nd Street interchange is still under construction, with a completion date of winter 2023/2024. As such, the new storm system has not yet been fully constructed or connected to its final configuration. Specifically, storm detention ponds and a new stream channel that will together store and move water through the interchange have not yet been built. Additionally, a tributary of Juanita Creek that flows under I-405 is currently being pumped around its final stream channel. These factors, combined with mechanical/electrical issues with two on-site pumps and significant rainfall over a short period of time, resulted in the system not being able to handle the amount of surface water entering the project site. This overflow inundated the intersection.
Since the events earlier this week, Graham Contracting, Ltd. has brought in additional pump capacity, added additional “pump watch” personnel to monitor the pump continuously, revised the storm discharge routing for more efficient flow, and brought in additional capacity to settle stormwater to remove sediment from the discharges.
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Our region has experienced quite a bit of rain these last couple weeks.
Here are some tips from Public Works to help prevent drain issues on your property:
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Inspect your gutters and downspouts for damage or leaks.
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Add screens on gutters to help keep debris out of your drains. Clear leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts.
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Install a removable connection between your downspouts and roof drains and keep them clean.
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Install a cistern or rain barrel to collect rain water.
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Build a rain garden or plant a tree(PDF, 8MB) in your yard.
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Sweep your driveway instead of using a hose. This saves water and keeps dirt out of your drainage system.
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Avoid using wood chip mulch around yard inlets. Wood chips float and are easily moved by runoff water. Otherwise, wood chip mulch is a great addition to garden beds.
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Report Spills or Flooding! 24/7 hotline: (425) 587-3900
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Lake Washington Half Marathon
Date: Saturday, October 21
Location: Juanita Beach Park, 9703 NE Juanita Drive
The Lake Washington Half marathon is a beautiful loop course that starts and finishes at Juanita Beach Park. You’ll run along the shores of Lake Washington and through the charming neighborhoods of Kirkland. Enjoy this great end-of-season USA Track & Field-certified race to cap off your year of running.
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Kirkland Forest Day
Location: 132nd Square Park, 13159 132nd Ave NE
Kirkland Forest Day is just around the corner, and we're excited to invite you to join us in honoring the remarkable role that trees play in our lives and our environment. Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 22 as we come together to celebrate the beauty of nature.
For the line up of activities planned, and more information, visit the event page.
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Pee Wee Monster Bash Carnival
Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
Location: North Kirkland Community Center, 12421 103rd Ave NE
Preschoolers aged 5 and under in Halloween costumes can have fun with safe, spirited activities such as swamp fishing, crafts, a cookie walk, a movement maze, story-time, and more. Prizes will be awarded for everyone. The carnival won’t be spooky - just kooky!
Registration is encouraged as this event does sell out. Cost is $16 per child. To register: www.kirklandparks.net, call 425-587-3350, or visit the North Kirkland Community Center.
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Dia de los Muertos
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave
Acompáñenos a celebrar el Día de los Muertos para recordar a nuestros familiares antepasados, y disfrutar actividades tradicionales, comida, música, y más. Para más información, visite event page.
Join us to celebrate Día de los Muertos as we remember our loved ones, enjoy traditional activities, food, music, and more. Free event for all ages. Located at the Peter Kirk Community Center. For more information, call 425-587-3336.
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Summer might be over, but we’re still reliving all the fun events we had! Check out our National Night Out recap from August – and thanks for all the folks that connected with their neighbors, first responders, and Councilmembers!
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