 Hear all about the upcoming Juanita Friday Market from our market manager, Robert Hezlep - plus all the freshest City news for you! (See what we did there?)
 The next meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. This will be a hybrid meeting, and community members are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via Zoom.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the items on the Business Agenda for the June 4 meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m.:
- Council will consider adopting a resolution to lower the posted speed limit to 20mph on street segments of the Stores to Shores Greenway route.
- Council will consider adopting a resolution declaring the City’s commitment to addressing homelessness and authorizing the City Manager to develop a homelessness continuum of care action plan
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council will also hold a Study Session starting at 5:30 p.m., where they will discuss:
- proposed amendments to the Kirkland Municipal Code and Public Records Act Rules.
- a presentation on the Public Works Maintenance Center Facility Plan as the first of several discussions.
Meeting details:
The business meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. study session. The agenda for the June 4 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, which starts 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 toCityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov. For additional questions, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (425) 587-3190.
Stay in the know: you can also get a preview of what’s coming up at Council in the coming weeks and months by checking out the City Council Agenda Calendar. Please note: this calendar is subject to frequent change and does not constitute legal notice.
 LAST CALL FOR OUR ONLINE SURVEY!
The City of Kirkland has published its online biennial Community Survey to gauge community perspectives about the quality of life in Kirkland, satisfaction with City government services, and priorities for the future. All Kirkland community members are encouraged to take the online 2024 Community Survey at https://opinion-insight.com/index.php/778662
Survey extended to June 3!
Comprehensive Plan Public Hearings
Don’t miss out! Share your needs and aspirations, and guide the City! The City of Kirkland is holding public hearings on the Comprehensive Plan where community members can share their feedback on elements of the 20 year plan. The City is accepting your thoughts and suggestions via email at 2044ComprehensivePlan@kirklandwa.gov and on our Public Comment Form.
Public Hearings will be held during Planning Commission meetings starting at 6:00 PM. Open Houses will be from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM prior to each meeting to provide an opportunity to speak with staff and ask questions.
Upcoming Public Hearings:
June 13th, 2024
June 27th, 2024
For more information, visit kirklandwa.gov/K2044
|
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.
 Wednesday morning, Councilmembers Falcone, Pascal, and Sweet joined Juanita High School Principal, Kelly Clapp, and the Juanita High Raven's Associated Student Body to mark the start of a new era at Juanita High with their Raven Way sign. This project was proposed and coordinated with the city by Lizzie Orswell, Juanita High Raven's Associated Student Body Vice President. Thank you to Juanita High Associated Student Body and all who participated to bring this project to life.
Are you pumped for fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, hand crafted confections, beverages, and other local offerings? We are! Next week is the opening of our local farmers markets! Come on down each Wednesday for the Kirkland Wednesday Market and each Friday for the Juanita Friday Market. Rain or shine, both markets are open from 3 to 7 p.m.
Take an escape from stress and enjoy a scenic walk through the park, shop and support local businesses, and enjoy hot food with local vendors! Come make a real connection with our community and enjoy all Kirkland has to offer.
The Juanita Friday Market is part of the State of Washington’s Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program for seniors. The new SFMNP program will offer Seniors and WIC participants an opportunity to buy from vendors at the market.
|
 The City is proud to report a productive year for Kirkland’s Surface Water Utility!
Read more about your dollars at work in this year’s Surface Water Utility Annual Progress Report
To name just a few highlights. In 2023, we:
💧 Launched an interactive stream health dashboard
🌳 Celebrated the opening of 132nd Square Park and the massive stormwater vault beneath the field
📜 Adopted our long-term Surface Water Strategic Plan
🚧 Cleaned an astounding 41 miles of stormwater pipe
📹 Video inspected another 32 miles of pipe
📞 Responded to 76 flooding calls
🧹 Cleaned up 196 spills from the stormwater system to protect our creeks and lakes
Looking ahead, we're gearing up to tackle more opportunities and challenges, including addressing aging infrastructure and adapting to a new state stormwater permit. Here's to a productive year ahead!
Mission Success! We’ve learned a lot this month about the critical – and life-saving! – work of the Building Safety professionals. As we wrap up the final week of Building Safety Month, let's reflect on the individuals and communities who make a difference for our safety. Thank you to all residents, governmental officials, engineers, code officials, plumbers, electricians, and many others for building a safer tomorrow.
For more visit the Building Safety: Week 5 webpage.
|
 Low snowpack and forecasts for a dry and warm spring and summer prompted the Department of Ecology to issue a drought emergency for most of Washington State. Dry conditions significantly increase the likelihood of wildfires in urban areas such as Kirkland that have lush, forested parks (Big Finn Hill and the Kirkland Corridor) and homes that are very close together. A small grass or smoldering bark fire can easily spread to tree lines and homes, significantly impacting entire neighborhoods. There are measures community members can take to mitigate the risks.
- Rake away leaves, dead limbs, and twigs from around your home and decks.
- Trim limbs of trees to 6-10 feet from ground and keep them away from electrical wires, stovepipes, and chimney outlets.
- Keep trees free of dead wood and moss.
- Remove vines from home walls.
- Consider using crushed stone or gravel instead of flammable mulches within 5 feet around your home.
- Stack firewood uphill and away from your home.
- Regularly clean roofs and gutters of tree limbs, needles, and debris.
- Do not use a weed burner.
- Screen roof and attic vents.
For information regarding air quality for recreational burning and bans, visit https://pscleanair.gov/
For more wildfire and urban interface information: www.firewise.org
 Does your dad really need another tie this Father’s Day? How about giving the gift of life in his honor with a blood donation? Join us in making sure that our community has the blood inventory needed to save lives, by booking your summer donation for June 26 or 27 at the City of Kirkland Blood Drive. Join us in the Peter Kirk Room at City Hall, an hour of your time is all that is needed to save the life of another person, and celebrate families everywhere. Be sure that you have photo ID when you arrive to check in for your appointment.
 You may have noticed that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and their contractor have opened new on- and off-ramps to the I-405 at NE 132nd Street. While the project still has ongoing work scheduled to be completed this summer, the roundabouts along NE 132nd Street have both switched to their final multilane configurations. This means that more than one vehicle may be circulating through the roundabout side-by-side at the same time. This is a good reminder to follow these steps to driving in multilane roundabouts:
- Choose the appropriate lane based on the lane assignment signs
- Watch for pedestrians before entering the roundabout
- At the dashed yield line, look to your left and yield to drivers already in the roundabout
- When there is a gap in traffic, merge into the roundabout in the correct lane
- Stay in your lane and let the pavement markings guide you
- Be courteous and use your turn signal to indicate your exit to the vehicles around you
- Watch for pedestrians before exiting the roundabout
You can learn more about safely navigating roundabouts by watching this video.
 Now through September, qualifying Kirkland residents can apply to the Low Income Support Program and receive discounts on utility rates, pet licenses, business licenses, annual vehicle registration, and other City services.
The City has allocated nearly $600,000 in funds to support eligible households. To learn about the eligibility requirements and to apply, please visit: https://forwardplatform.com/kirkland-cares-low-income-support-program/
Northeast 116th Place (Goat Hill)
Goat Hill residents should expect road closures this week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Northeast 116th Place. Kirkland’s contractor is keeping open the Northeast 120th Place access to Goat Hill.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/goathill
Eighth Avenue West and Fifth Street West
West of Market residents should expect road closures along Eighth Avenue West, between Fifth Street West and Fourth Street West while a Kirkland contractor upgrades the sewer mains beneath the streets.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/eighthavenuewestupgrade
Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street
Lake Street’s intersection with Kirkland Avenue will likely remain closed after June 3, due to rainfall, which has delayed Kirkland’s Lake Street pedestrian scramble contractor from pouring concrete this week. New X, Inc., poured concrete Monday, but is postponing its scheduled pours on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday, due to observed and forecasted rain.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/lakestreetpedscramble
Juanita Drive
Kirkland’s Juanita Drive Corridor improvements contractor is planning on May 30 and 31 to close 79th Way Northeast while its crews restore and repave the trenches they dug while installing the water main.
Juanita Drive will be reduced to one lane periodically this week between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 128th Street.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/juanitadrivecorridor
Fifth Avenue South and Eighth Street South
Kirkland's Fifth Avenue South and Eighth Street West water main contractor is alternating traffic until early June on Eighth Street South and a short section of Railroad Avenue.
Strickland and Sons crews are working from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Search “5th Avenue water” on www.kirklandwa.gov
100th Avenue Northeast
OMA Construction is closing access onto Northeast 139th Street until June 2 while crews build a soldier pile wall along the west side of 100th Avenue Northeast, near Northeast 139th Street. The contractor is also alternating traffic at various locations between Northeast 137th and 145th streets. The legal speed limit through the construction zone is 25 miles per hour.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/100thavedesign
 NAMIWalks Washington
Date: Saturday, June 1
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza
Come together for mental health! Join the NAMI community in celebration of the progress made towards improving the lives of people affected by mental health conditions.
Enjoy the beautiful backdrop of Lake Washington while you get moving with a full 5K or half-distance walk. Then enjoy fun activities, speakers, refreshments, meet resource providers and learn about NAMI programs.
For more information, visit the City Events webpage.
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
Date: Thursday, June 6
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave
Ages: 50+
Cost: Free
Are you prepared for an emergency? Do you know what to do in case of inclement weather, an earthquake or wildfire smoke? Join the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to learn about these scenarios and more.
Pre-registration is required.
Register online now at https://bit.ly/4cAx4s5 or call 425-587-3336
|
 Come Out Kirkland: A Community Pride Celebration
Date: Friday, June 7
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza Drive
Come Out Kirkland and show your pride! All ages are invited to a family-friendly celebration of the LGBTQAI+ community. Enjoy free refreshments and get to know your community with fun entertainment and a resource fair. Plus, an after party at Moss Bay Hall.
More info on the event page.
 In-person Tour of Cascade Recycling Center
Date: Friday, June 14
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Cascade Recycling Center, 14020 NE 190th St, Woodinville
Have you ever wondered what happens to your recycling once it’s picked up? Want to see state-of-the-art recycling technology in action? Join us to learn about your local recycling processes! Attend Waste Management’s recycling center tour and become a recycling expert! During the tour, you’ll learn what happens to your recycling when it leaves the curb, why it’s so important to Recycle Right® and more.
This in-person tour takes place June 14th from 12 – 1 pm PST. Register here: WM's Cascade Recycling Center (wmnorthwest.com).
The Kirkland Library Repair Event
Date: Saturday, June 8
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Kirkland Library, 308 Kirkland Ave
Join us June 8th at 1:30pm at the Kirkland Library Repair event! Don’t toss your broken household items, or clothing in need of mending. Bring them to the Kirkland Library where skilled ‘fixers’ will try to repair them! Please sign up in advance if possible. Advance sign-up gives priority over ‘walk-ins’ or second items. Contact Tom at tom.watson@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-4481.
More info on the event page.
|
For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up-to-date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.
Want a monthly Events Guide delivered to your inbox? Sign up for our Events Newsletter.
 To browse newsletter topics and sign up, visit our email subscription page.
Swing by for live entertainment as you connect with neighbors and access delicious, fresh, and nutritious foods at the Juanita Friday Market.
|
