The next meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items on the Business Agenda, which starts at 7:30 p.m.:

Prior to the Business Agenda, the Council will hold a special meeting, currently scheduled at 5 p.m., to conduct interviews for Board and Commission member candidates.

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 2 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’s:

• YouTube channel 
• Facebook page 
• 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 to CityCouncil@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.

Expect a full southbound I-405 closure starting Friday night to Monday morning, weather permitting. This one’s for the fish: Crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will make progress on fish passage restoration, as part of the I-405/NE 85th Street Interchange and Inline BRT Station Project. 

What’s happening: Southbound I-405 in Kirkland will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday, May 29 to 4 a.m. Monday, June 1. Lane reductions will start as early as 8 p.m. on Friday. Signed detours will be in place. Both the NE 116th Street and NE 85th Steet on-ramps to southbound I-405 will be closed. 

Here’s the closure schedule: 

Tips: Expect significant congestion on local roads in Kirkland this weekend. We encourage community members to plan ahead, complete shopping trips early, and use alternate modes of travel. And if you hate traffic but love fish, remember that it’s for them.

Visit WSDOT’s project website for updates.

The City of Kirkland and the Adopt A Stream Foundation invite community members to attend a free webinar, “Juanita Creek — Salmon and You” on Wednesday, June 17, at 6 p.m. The webinar will explore the creek’s history, current environmental challenges, and ongoing efforts to protect and restore salmon habitat. 

Participants will also learn simple, everyday actions that they can take to support a healthier watershed. The small choices we make on a daily basis, from how we manage runoff to what we plant in our yards, play an important role in the health of Juanita Creek. 

This project is funded by a WaterWorks grant from King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division, which supports and encourages private property owners to take actions that improve the creek’s health. 

“We are grateful for this funding from King County,” said Councilmember Jay Arnold. “Juanita Creek is part of our shared story, and it’s inspiring to see so many people invested in its future. This funding strengthens that collective effort and highlights how everyday choices can help protect the creek.” 

Grant funding has already supported native plantings on 10 private properties along Juanita Creek. In addition, one Kirkland property owner who attends the webinar will be eligible for a site assessment by an Adopt A Stream Foundation ecologist, along with support for invasive plant removal or installation of native vegetation by a Washington Conservation Corps crew. 

Kirkland homeowners may also qualify for rebates of up to $5,000 for installing native landscaping or rain gardens through the City’s Yards Smart Rain Rewards program. Learn more at www.kirklandwa.gov/yardsmart.

Register for the webinar at https://bit.ly/juanitacreek2026webinar.

As of 3 p.m. on May 27, 2026, Public Health – Seattle & King County is recommending that people and pets stay out of the water at the swimming areas of Houghton Beach Park for at least one week due to elevated bacteria levels. Signs will be positioned to indicate that people and pets should stay out of the water. The rest of Houghton Beach Park remains open.

Water quality staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division tested the water recently and found that the levels of bacteria at these beaches exceeded safe thresholds for bacteria based on the samples collected. King County crews will return to the beaches next week to collect further samples.

For additional details, visit King County’s Lake Swimming Beach Data webpage.

Updates about Houghton Beach Park will be posted on the City webpage.

Why is the swimming area closed? Swim Beaches throughout King County are tested weekly by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. If beach water tests high for bacteria, the swimming area will be closed. For testing information or to see which beaches are open/closed, please visit the King County Lake Swimming Beach Bacteria page.

Do you want to be notified of swim beach closures and reopening? Join the King County Lake Beach Alert mailing list.

By 2035, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that seniors will outnumber children in the United States for the first time in history. For the City of Kirkland, that shift is already underway. According to the City’s Housing Inventory and Analysis for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update, Kirkland has the fastest-growing population of residents aged 65 and older among our surrounding municipalities. 

To get ahead of this demographic change, the City and the Kirkland Senior Council are launching the Kirkland Age-Friendly Community Needs Assessment, a citywide survey to shape City policy, programs, and services for residents of all ages. To take the survey, visit www.research.net/r/k-age.

Those who complete the survey will receive a free AARP reusable bag and be entered into a drawing for two Mariners tickets on AARP Day, Wednesday, July 22, including lunch at the Terrace Club.*

This effort is part of Kirkland’s commitment to the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, which the City officially joined in 2025. The network provides a structured framework that helps communities strengthen the features and services that make them livable from early childhood through retirement.

“Kirkland has always been a community that takes care of its own,” said Councilmember John Tymczyszyn. “As our community ages, we have a responsibility to make sure our city works for everyone. I encourage every Kirkland resident to take a few minutes to complete this survey and make their voice heard.”

The deadline to take the survey is Oct. 31, 2026.

*No purchase necessary. One entry per person. Reusable bag available while supplies last — pick up at Kirkland City Hall or receive in person at a tabling event. Enter by July 10 to be eligible for the ticket drawing. Winner selected by random drawing on July 10 and notified on the same day. Bags and tickets are sponsored by AARP in partnership with the City of Kirkland.

Ignite Kirkland is right around the corner, June 1-8. Twenty-eight amazing non-profits from around the community have applied for more than $100K in funding. Now it’s up to all of us to fund them!

Browse the catalog, find the causes that move you, and give before the campaign closes on June 8.

Ignite Kirkland is how neighbors invest in the place we all call home. Every gift stays in Kirkland and powers visible results you can experience — from youth programs and mental-health supports to parks, arts, and community connection.

 Parade entry registration is OPEN! 

We’re calling all local businesses, performance groups, classic car owners, cultural organizations, artists, and more — come march, roll, dance, or dazzle your way down the streets of Kirkland this July Fourth! Creative floats and costumes encouraged! Sign up here today: Parade Entry

Get all the Celebrate Kirkland details.

Want to be part of something amazing this summer as we celebrate America’s 250th Independence Day?

We’re looking for volunteers to help make Kirkland’s July Fourth celebration run smoothly. Help greet attendees, guide floats, or hand out goodies — we promise you’ll leave with a full heart. Sign up here today: Parade Volunteer

This May, the City of Kirkland welcomed nearly 90 seasonal employees during our biggest hiring event of the year! From lifeguards and recreation staff to seasonal laborers supporting our Parks and Public Works teams, these employees help make summer in Kirkland possible.

One of the best parts? Many of these employees are returning for another summer — a reflection of the friendships, experiences, and sense of community they’ve found here year after year.

They’re here to Serve our community, Belong to teams that keep Kirkland running, and Thrive while building skills, confidence, and memories that last long after summer ends.

Interested in joining us next summer or exploring current seasonal opportunities? Visit kirklandwa.gov/jobs and apply today!

Use King County YouthWorks to find summer jobs that offer good pay or school credit and help build your resume!

Watch the YouthWorks release video on Instagram.

Consider sharing this with people you think might like to join these events or who might like to subscribe to other environmental education announcements from King County, Washington.

Due to a drier than usual winter and low snowpack in the mountains, the Department of Ecology is predicting drought across the whole state this summer. One of the best ways you can save water is to make changes to your landscaping that help it make the most of the water you give it.

Here are some top tips for things you can do in the garden now to help save water and reduce water bills this summer:

• Add compost and mulch to your garden. Building healthy, “spongey” soil is the number one way to keep water where you put, doing good for your plants.
• Plant native plants or drought-resistant, sun-loving plants that require less water and maintenance.
• Consider installing drip irrigation or a soaker hose system to deliver water right where it’s needed — at the base of your plants.

Find more tips for watering wisely here.

 (1) NE 85th Street: Shared Use Pathway 

NE 85th Street continues to usher a single lane of traffic eastbound, between 6th Street and I-405 while a Kirkland contractor finishes a shared-use pathway that parallels NE 85th Street. Westbound travel has returned to two lanes from the 114th Avenue NE/Kirkland Way roundabout. The change of the intersections to roundabouts is a dramatic change for drivers. 

(2) NE 85th Street Eastbound 3rd Lane Project

Drivers can expect night construction to continue east of Interstate 405 on NE 85th Street. Traffic control begins by 9 p.m. and ends by 5 a.m. to avoid disruption to NE 85th Street. Street repairs, grind and overlay along with concrete repairs are expected to continue throughout spring. The overlay of this project area is expected in June. Median work and concrete repairs are ongoing. 

(3) 116th Avenue NE Water Check Valve 

Drivers will encounter alternating traffic controlled by flaggers on 116th Avenue NE between NE 100th Street and NE 95th Street. Traffic control is expected between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. 

(4) Interstate 405 Southbound Closure in Kirkland 

WSDOT is expected to close southbound I-405 from Friday, May 29 to Monday June 1 (subject to change). Visit WSDOT’s project website for updates.

Cascade Recycling Center Tour (In-Person) 

 Date: Friday, May 29 

Time: 12-1 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? Join us as we tour the state-of-the-art recycling technology in action and learn about your local recycling processes! Attend WM’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. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Hosted by WM. Register online.

Reach out if you require any accommodations due to a disability, or if you need interpretive services in your preferred language. Please let us know by email RecycleNW@wm.com at least seven days before the event.

Family Fun Painting Night at the Kirkland Teen Union

Date: Saturday, June 6

Time: 5-7 p.m

Location: Kirkland Teen Union Building | 348 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland

Join us for a fun and welcoming family painting night at the Kirkland Teen Union! Paint for a cause while enjoying a creative evening together. Artwork created at this event will be featured for sale at our annual celebration, with all proceeds supporting young people in our community and helping put them on a path to economic mobility. All painting supplies, light snacks, and beverages are provided — just bring your creativity! Learn more.

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.