May 23, 2024
Listen to our award-winning podcast! Hear all about the Regional Crisis Response Agency and its 1-year anniversary!
The Kirkland City Council met on May 21, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
- Council considered options to modify the time periods of the automated safety camera program in school zones.
- Council received an update on the Cascade Water Alliance Negotiations and provided direction on how to proceed.
- Council adopted the recommended projects for the 2024 Neighborhood Safety Program.
- The Mayor proclaimed Public Works Week in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
- The Council continued discussion on draft resolution R-5631, Declaring the City's Commitment to Addressing Homelessness. The Council clarified what the City is and is not doing related to homelessness with this resolution:
- The City is proposing:
- Developing an Action Plan to address issues of homelessness
- Community engagement to inform the Action Plan
- City Council consideration of the draft Action Plan by the end of 2024
- The City is not proposing:
- Opening parks to homeless encampments
- Opening new shelters near primary schools
- Taking in Seattle’s homeless population
- Siting a tiny home village at Houghton Village (the former PCC site)
- A specific housing and homelessness ballot measure. Potential future ballot measures would not be considered without a demonstrated need and a comprehensive public process.
Additional information on the resolution can be found on the City’s website.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
- The Seattle Kraken’s proposal to construct an Iceplex on the former Houghton Park and Ride site
- Transportation Strategic Plan Plan and associated projects list.
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 June 4, 2024.
Renee Cox, Crisis Responder Supervisor with the Regional Crisis Response Agency, has been selected as one of five finalists for KING 5's Hometown Heroes award!
Over the past two decades, Renee has been one of the pioneers in creating a new crisis responder career path for civilian mental health responders to help police and fire departments assist those in high risk behavioral health crisis. Renee has been serving the Kirkland and other north King County communities as a crisis responder since 2017 and is a member of the City of Kirkland's Homelessness Assistance and Response Team.
To review all of the finalists and to vote, visit the KING 5 Hometown Hero Awards voting page. Voting for this year's Hometown Hero ends on May 27th!
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
“Listening to and understanding community feedback is a priority of the City of Kirkland,” said Councilmember Amy Falcone. “One of the more comprehensive ways the City does this is by conducting a community survey every two years. These important data are very helpful for the work the Council is doing to develop the City’s budget for the next two years. Please take a moment and let us know your perspective.”
In observance of Memorial Day, City administrative offices are closed on Monday, May 27. Fire, police, and other critical services will remain fully operational. City services normally accessible through email, over the phone, and the Our Kirkland service portal will resume at 8 a.m., Tuesday, May 28.
Memorial Day is observed as a federal holiday to recognize and honor those who lost their lives while serving in the United States Military. Join us as we contemplate and remember, with gratitude and reverence, the heroes who sacrificed in service to our country.
The City of Kirkland’s This Week in Kirkland Podcast has won Second Place in the 2024 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award from the National Association of Government Communicators. This annual international awards program recognizes superior government communication products and those who produce them.
“My wife, Kristin, is a committed listener, and there are times when she is more informed on issues and upcoming events in Kirkland than I am,” said Councilmember Jon Pascal. “This is because the City prioritizes keeping all community members informed with timely information, and the podcast team has created a fun and informative format that allows us to reach people in a whole new way. I’m proud that the team has been recognized for another award for their outstanding achievements in producing the This Week in Kirkland program.”
The podcast is based on this very newsletter of the same name, which won third place in the Trust & Transparency category of Granicus’ international Digital Government Awards hosted in October 2023. The City launched its weekly podcast in September 2023. From recreation programs to rebates, events to Council meeting info, the podcast covers it all. This Week in Kirkland provides timely topics and noteworthy news every Thursday. It’s available on the City’s website or wherever you get your podcasts.
Image courtesy of WSDOT
On Monday May 20, Mayor Curtis was joined by Councilmembers Black, Falcone, and Pascal, as well as EvergreenHealth’s CEO Ettore Palazzo, and State Transportation Secretary Roger Millar to celebrate the opening of the new I-405 and 132nd St freeway ramps.
The 50th Anniversary of EMS Week is May 19-25. From providing highly skilled care in an ambulance, to practicing community paramedicine, to teaching, and conducting research, emergency medical services (EMS) play a critical role in our community.
Kirkland Fire provides a wide range of fire and life safety services to the City's more than 92,000 residents. Kirkland Firefighters are also Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and are trained and equipped to respond to a variety of requests for service including emergency medical calls, fire and rescue incidents, and hazardous material responses within Kirkland.
EMS Week is a time to recognize and honor paramedics, EMTs, and the entire EMS workforce for their service. They are a vital component of public health and safety, and they save lives through their hard work and dedication.
Here are some ideas for how to celebrate the week:
- Write a thank you note to an EMS worker.
- Educate yourself and your loved ones about safety.
- Consider donating blood in honor of EMS workers.
- Share a story about how an EMS worker made an impact on your life. If you share it on social media, use the hashtag #EMSweek.
Station naming is an increasingly important consideration at Sound Transit as they prepare to open dozens of new stations in the coming years. They want your feedback to make sure Stride station names are intuitive, geographically helpful, memorable, and easy to read and remember for riders visiting the area for the first time.
Station locations near Kirkland include:
- I-405/SR 522 interchange station
- I-405/NE 85th St interchange station
Your feedback will help finalize station names and names will be submitted for Sound Transit Board approval later this year.
Take a survey by May 31 to share your thoughts on potential station names.
Participate in the 25th Anniversary of Celebrate Kirkland, a 4th of July Parade!
Join us in the celebration and be a part of Celebrate Kirkland’s history along with celebrated veterans, local businesses, sports teams, unique floats, and more! Join thousands of happy spectators in downtown Kirkland on a warm summer afternoon and celebrate this distinctly wonderful parade - together.
Don't miss out! Sign up NOW to participate in the parade.
If participating in the parade isn’t your thing, consider volunteering with us. Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and make a positive impact in Kirkland. Volunteers are crucial to the success of Celebrate Kirkland! We are seeking 200 volunteers to support the event on July 4. Volunteers are needed on the parade route, helping spectators with questions, and assisting with crowd safety. Other volunteers will assist with specific elements such as the kid’s giveaways, Veteran’s area, parade staging, and awards. Sign up to be a volunteer and know that your time and effort can truly make a difference.
Need more information? Learn more here! www.kirklandwa.gov/CelebrateKirkland
June 7 marks the opening of the 18th season of the Juanita Friday Market. The 2024 season will continue to be held at Juanita Beach Park every Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. from June 7 through September 27, rain or shine.
Once again, the fare will consist of fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, hand crafted confections, beverages, as well as offerings from local artisans and crafters. The location at the park provides families a place to come and enjoy the Market and the beach, playground, and other park amenities.
The Juanita Friday Market has become a favorite for foodies, families and everyone (or anyone) in between. Totem Lake’s Sweetgreen will be the 2024 Kind of a Big Dill sponsor for this year’s Juanita Friday Market. Live entertainment will be provided weekly, sponsored by Parkshore Juanita Bay. The Busy Lil Bees Kids Booth is sponsored by Kirkland Kid’s Dentistry. Crafts and games will be available as well as face painting one Friday per month.
This year the State of Washington’s Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program for seniors will once again be available. The new eFMNP program will offer Seniors and WIC participants an opportunity to buy from vendors at the market.
Come with your friends, or meet new ones; and enjoy shopping for delicious and nutritious foods. Then try one, or more, of our hot food vendors for a varied menu of offerings. We look forward to seeing you at Juanita Beach on these spring and summer Friday afternoons and evenings.
This week of Building Safety Month is dedicated to finding your voice. We all have a responsibility in ensuring where we live, work, and play are safe spaces not just for ourselves, but everyone.
No effort is too small or meaningless, anyone can save lives by:
- Sharing building safety information or concerns with your public information officer, city manager or mayor
- Contacting the code officials in your area to learn more about the building industry and discover local volunteer opportunities
- Attending local events about building safety
- Talking to your network about building safety and share fact-based information and resources on your social media accounts
If you want to protect where you live, work, and play consider adopting modern codes and standards. You can save lives and prevent disasters by:
- Identifying your homes building safety codes
- Asking public officials to advocate for change
- If improvements are needed, be ready to take action
- Ask for change and include a few talking points on why adopting and enforcing modern building codes are important
The City of Kirkland is launching a Natural Yard Care Ambassador program. This is the perfect chance for Kirkland residents to share the secrets of growing a healthy lawn with their neighbors!
Congratulations to our first cohort of ambassadors:
- Bill and Aly Gardner-Shelby (Norkirk, Moss Bay watershed)
- Alexander Cowen (Bridle Trails, Moss Bay watershed)
- Amanda Uluhan (Finn Hill, Denny Creek watershed)
- Bethany Williamson (Kingsgate, Kingsgate Slope watershed)
- Phil and Chris Harvey (Juanita, Forbes Creek watershed)
- Shannon Radley (Juanita, Juanita Creek watershed)
Over the new few months, expect to read all about ambassadors' advice, struggles, and motivation for gardening on the Kirkland Conserves Blog.
If you want to learn more about what it means to “build healthy soil” and what it takes to build a healthy, natural lawn visit Our Natural Yard Care webpage!
Lake Street Pedestrian Scramble
Rain has delayed the opening of Lake St & Kirkland Ave pedestrian scramble. Kirkland’s contractor is now planning on June 5 to re-open the intersection to automotive traffic. The sidewalk areas surrounding the intersection remains open for walking.
Assuming the forecast for dry weather continues to hold, the contractor (New X) is planning this afternoon to resume concrete pouring.
To ensure the concrete trucks can deliver concrete to the construction zone as safely and efficiently as possible, New X will again close Kirkland Avenue, between Main Street and the construction zone on Lake Street.
Sidewalks along this stretch will be available for walking. However, the street, itself, will be off-limits for parking and driving.
A consulting arborist on Monday evaluated the health and survivability of two Sweetgum trees on the west leg of the intersection, near The Shop and the Dr. Seuss art studio. The arborist determined that, due to the impacts of construction, these two trees are unlikely to survive and likely to pose a hazard to the public.
As such, New X’s crews will remove those trees on Friday, May 24 per the City of Kirkland’s tree removal guidelines.
The City will replace the Sweetgum directly in front of the Dr. Seuss art studio with a 12- to 14-foot tree. To protect the health of the remaining trees and to allow more space for a sidewalk area, the City will not replace the tree in front of The Shop, which is consistent with the approved landscaping plan.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/lakestreetpedscramble
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.
Eighth Avenue West and Fifth Street West
West of Market residents should expect road closures along Fifth Street West, between Eighth and 10th avenues west while a Kirkland contractor upgrades the water and sewer mains beneath the streets.
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.
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.
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.
Come Out Kirkland: A Community Pride Celebration
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.
7 Hills of Kirkland
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza
The 7 Hills of Kirkland has been a beloved Memorial Day bike ride for over 20 years. The ride supports fundraising to provide housing and services to the Eastside’s less fortunate residents. Join a few hundred of your closest friends and challenge yourself to complete the traditional 38-mile route. Distance too short? Then the Metric Century 62-mile course will provide the hills your heart desires. Either way, you'll finish back at Marina Park where you can celebrate with delicious strawberry shortcake.
Register online at the Kirkland Kiwanis Foundation webpage.
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
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.
14th Annual Senior Art Show
Location: Merrill Gardens, 14 Main Street South
Creativity is ageless! Join us for the opening of the 14th annual Senior Art Show sponsored by the Kirkland Senior Council on Friday, June 7, 2024.
There will be a special reception on June 7th from 5-7 PM with live music, appetizers and a no host wine bar. Peoples Choice Awards will be handed out at the end of the evening, vote for your favorite pieces during the reception.
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Enjoy a moment of calm with Sights & Sounds of Juanita Bay Park.