The Kirkland City Council met on October 6, 2026. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the Business Agenda:

Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:

To read more, visit the City’s website.

How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on the City’s:

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 20, 2026.

National Arbor Day is held annually in April, but the holiday is so nice we celebrate it twice in Kirkland! Like many communities in Washington, we have our own Arbor Day in October, during our best tree-planting season. This year, Kirkland will celebrate the holiday on October 15 as part of the City’s Urban Foresty Month. 

Join Kirkland’s annual Arbor Day tree planting at 1 PM on Thursday, October 15 at Fire Station 21 (9816 Forbes Creek Dr.). During the celebration, the Mayor will read the annual Arbor Day proclamation at the event and honor Public Works’ Urban Forestry team. Afterward, Public Works arborists, the Station’s firefighters, and community members will work together to improve the health of an urban forest grove on site. Lend a hand as we spread mulch and install native plants and some landscape trees.

Learn more about trees and urban forestry in Kirkland. 

Did you know that fall is the perfect time to plant trees in the Pacific Northwest? The cool, damp months allow newly planted trees to establish their root system before next spring. That means it’s also the perfect time to make use of tree rebates! 

The City’s Tree Rebate program provides rebates up to $500 for planting qualifying trees on your property. Rebates can also cover the necessary amounts of compost and mulch during planting, as well as watering bags to help your new trees thrive next summer! 

Trees are important because they help prevent flooding in our neighborhoods, provide shade for our homes, and help filter pollutants to provide clean water for Lake Washington. Planting trees is an easy, affordable way to help the environment on your own property. Learn more about Kirkland’s tree rebates.

Phones, laptops, power tools, e-bikes, e-scooters, and rechargeable toys have something in common: Many are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

October 4-10, 2026 is Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s theme focuses on safely using and safely charging the devices we rely on powering us through each day.

Lithium-ion batteries store a lot of energy in a small space. If a battery is damaged, improperly charged, or used with the wrong equipment, it can overheat and potentially start a fire.

Kirkland Fire encourages everyone to take a few simple steps to stay safe:

• Use the right charger. Use the charging cord that came with your device or one approved by the manufacturer. Look for products certified by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL.
• Charge in a safe place. Keep devices on a hard, flat surface while charging — not on a bed, couch, or under a pillow.
• Watch for warning signs. Stop using a battery if you notice an unusual odor, excessive heat, swelling, leaking, a change in shape, or strange noises. 

If a lithium-ion battery starts smoking or catches fire, get outside and call 911. Do not try to handle or move the battery. More charging tips can found on the NFPA website.

Students across Kirkland celebrated Walk & Roll to School Day this week, joining students around the country in choosing an active way to get to school. Kirkland Police Community Services Unit officers joined the fun at several elementary schools, greeting students as they arrived.

Walking, biking, and rolling to school can do more than get kids from point A to point B. Active trips give students an opportunity to add physical activity to their day, build independence, and practice skills they can use to safely navigate their neighborhoods.

While Walk & Roll to School Day happens once a year, we can help make walking and rolling safer every day. Families can practice safe crossing habits with children, choose routes with sidewalks and crossings when possible, and make sure helmets fit properly. Drivers can help by slowing down near schools, staying alert at intersections and crosswalks, and watching for students traveling on foot, bikes, and scooters.

And if your student rides an e-bike, make sure they know the rules of the road before they roll. There are three classes of e-bikes, with different rules based on speed and how the motor operates. Class 3 e-bikes can only be operated by riders age 16 and older. Riders should wear a properly fitted helmet, follow the rules of the road, and ride at a safe speed for the conditions.

E-motorcycles are not e-bikes and should only be operated by someone with the appropriate driver license and motorcycle endorsement. They must also be registered and insured to be legally operated on public roads.

However you roll, make safety part of every trip. Learn more here.

Round up your little witches, ghosts, and werewolves! The Pee Wee Monster Bash is returning on October 30, 2026 from 10 AM to 12 PM. The Halloween celebration is designed for children ages 1 through 5 years old and will be a spooktacular time.

The Pee Wee Monster Bash will be held the North Kirkland Community Center at 12421 103rd Ave. NE. Entry costs $18 per child and comes with a morning of magical, spooky fun but no scares. There will be fun, games, and treats for your (beloved) tiny terrors. Kids can create creepy cool crafts, join the Monster Munch Cookie Stroll, and play a variety of games. Costumes are encouraged.

Spaces are limited, so sign up now. Visit KirklandParks.net or call 425-587-3336 before this Monster Bash vanishes into the mist.

The Costume Swap is going on now! Between now and October 9, you can donate clean and gently used costumes, masks, hats, and accessories in the lobby of the North Kirkland Community Center (12421 3rd Ave. NE) or the upper lobby of Kirkland City Hall (123 5th Ave.). Then, on October 10, it’s time to “shop” for new-to-you costumes from 10 AM to 1 PM in City Hall’s Peter Kirk room (downstairs).

Costumes of all sizes, from infant to adult, are accepted. While residents are encouraged to donate costumes they no longer need, you are not required to donate a costume in order to take one. Please bring your own reusable bag when you attend the event on October 10. 

For more information, visit the event page.

Right now, adult salmon across our region are undertaking difficult upstream swims from the open ocean to the streams and rivers where they were born. Once there, they’ll spawn, creating the next generation of local salmon. Want to witness their incredible journey? Visit King County’s Salmon SEEson page to view a map of salmon viewing sites in our area. When you go salmon spotting, please be sure to visit safely and recreate responsibly.

All year round, we can make choices at home that help keep streams healthy for salmon. Here are some tips for being salmon-friendly:

Learn more at kingcounty.gov/hazwaste.

The Lake Washington Half Marathon is Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting and finishing at Juanita Beach Park. Drivers should expect traffic delays and parking restrictions in the area. A course map is available at OrcaRunning.com. Please note: Vehicles parked on the course will be towed prior to the event.

From 7 to 11:30 AM, eastbound NE Juanita Drive from 93rd Avenue NE to 98th Avenue NE will be closed with a detour in place. From 8 to 10 AM, southbound Lakeshore Plaza will be closed. The City Boat Launch will remain open with minor delays. Lakeshore Plaza parking lot will remain accessible via Kirkland Avenue.

Event organizers expect 1,000 athletes to participate in the 13.1-mile race/walk, which benefits charity partner Rise Up and Read. The organization strives to ease toxic stress in refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeking children by fostering literacy and emotional connection through shared reading.

Eventgoers are encouraged to carpool and plan their parking in advance. For bus transportation, see the King County Metro Trip Planner. For event information, see ExploreKirkland.com. For permit information, contact Sudie Elkayssi, Special Projects Coordinator, City of Kirkland Parks & Community Services, at 425-587-3347 or email selkayssi@kirklandwa.gov.

Let’s practice earthquake preparedness! International ShakeOut Day is coming up on October 15. Join the City of Kirkland and other across the globe in an earthquake drill. At 10:15 AM local time, you can Drop, Cover, and Hold On.

It’s not too late to host your own ShakeOut Drill at work or school. Visit the Kirkland Office of Emergency Management website or ShakeOut.org to learn more and register your drill. For more details on how to best prepare for an earthquake, visit the City of Kirkland’s Office of Emergency Management webpage. Bonus: You’ll also find some earthquake-themed activities!

City of Kirkland staff came together for the annual Employee Appreciation Picnic in September. It was a chance to celebrate accomplishments, connect with colleagues, and recognize the work employees do throughout the year. This year’s “All Star” theme invited staff to represent their favorite sports teams while enjoying an afternoon of food, music, and camaraderie at Heritage Hall.

A highlight of the event was the City Manager’s Awards ceremony, where City Manager Kurt Triplett and members of the City’s executive team recognized employees and teams who go above and beyond in their work. Their contributions demonstrate what it means to SERVE our community, create a workplace where we all BELONG, and bring the City’s values to life as we THRIVE together.

Interested in joining our team? Explore current career opportunities with the City of Kirkland.

For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up-to-date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.

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