October 10, 2024
This week, learn about preparedness from the most delightful person in emergency management - our very own Carly Pacekonis! Check it out.
The next meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on Tuesday, October 15, 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 October 15 meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m.:
- Council will review and discuss the Draft 2025 State Legislative Agenda
- Council will consider for adoption the 2025 and 2026 rates for Solid Waste, Water, Sewer, and Surface Water utilities
- Council will review proposed updates to City Council Policies and Procedures
- Council will receive a special presentation on the King County Health Through Housing project update, as well as a special presentation introducing Plymouth Housing as the operator
- Council will receive a special presentation on the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging 5-Year Roadmap
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council will also hold a Study Session starting at 5:30 p.m., where they will discuss:
- K2044 Comprehensive Plan recommendations from the Planning Commission
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 October 15 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 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.
On October 8, Council held a special meeting to interview and select candidates for the Transportation Commission, Design Review Board, and Park Board (youth seats).
For more information, visit the Boards and Commissions webpage.
Tell Us How You Would like to Electrify
Share your thoughts on electrification incentives! We want to understand your interests in electrifying different home appliance and equipment, and your thoughts on electrification incentives. Your feedback will help us develop a small pilot program to best determine what to offer next. Participate in this brief survey to share your thoughts by October 16, 2024.
Link to Survey
Help Design an Official Kirkland Flag
Whether you live in Kirkland or just happen to love Kirkland, you have an opportunity to help create an official Kirkland flag. Submit a design between now and November 15, 2024, and be a part of Kirkland’s history.
Tips, design criteria, rules, and the link to submit your design can be found at kirklandwa.gov/flag.
Let that creativity fly!
Follow Along the K2044 Process
The next public hearing for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update is coming up at the Planning Commission meeting on October 10, 2024 at 6 p.m. This hearing will be a continuation of the Commission's deliberations for the draft 2044 Housing Element.
The record will remain open to allow for written testimony until October 10, but there will be no further spoken testimony received at the meeting. Written comments can be emailed to PlanningCommissioners@kirklandwa.gov and will be distributed to all Planning Commissioners.
The draft Housing Element prepared by staff presented to the Commission at the September 26 meeting are available on the 2044 Comprehensive Plan Housing Element update webpage. The staff report and attachments for the October 10, 2024 hearing will be available on the Planning Commission webpage prior to the meeting on the Planning Commission webpage.
Next Steps:
- October 15, 2024: Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session - Planning Commission recommendation for the complete draft 2044 Comprehensive Plan
- December 10, 2024: Tentative final decision by City Council
Deep dive at kirklandwa.gov/2044 and find upcoming ways to get involved including upcoming public meetings.
Subscribe to the K2044 newsletter to get updates right to your inbox!
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.
The City Council is seeking input from the community now through Fall 2024 while they develop the 2025-2026 city budget. The City budget sets the course for a wide range of City services including public safety, keeping parks beautiful and pedestrians safe, protecting the natural environment, and ensuring housing for all.
“Budgeting means making choices, and our goal is to make choices that reflect what our community needs and wants,” said Kirkland City Councilmember Jon Pascal. “The budget determines how City services are funded, which affects the day-to-day lives of those in our community and shapes the future of Kirkland. Community involvement is key to establishing priorities and striking the right balance.”
There’s a lot that goes into the City’s budget. Show what you know by taking the City Budget Pop Quiz, and weigh in on what’s important to you. Everyone who completes the quiz will be entered into a drawing to win $60 Kirkland Ca$h.
Read more.
Get ready for a spooktacular time at the Pee Wee Monster Bash on October 25, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the North Kirkland Community Center located at 12421 103rd Ave NE.
The ultimate preschool party, this event is perfect for little ones aged 1-5 and is packed with fun, games, and treats for your tiny terrors. Costumes encouraged! Bring your cutest little goblins, witches, and monsters for a morning of magical, no-too-spooky fun. No tricks, all treats.
Event highlights include:
- Creepy cool crafts
- Monster Ball Bowling
- Little Vamp Skee Ball (a fangtastic game!)
- Swamp Fishing
- Meet the Rock Monster
- Monster Munch Cookie Stroll
- Prizes and treats
- And much more!
Don’t miss out on this kooky, kid-friendly Halloween adventure! Sign up now before the Monster Bash vanishes into the mist. Visit KirklandParks.net or call 425-587-3336 to reserve your spot. Spaces are limited, so sign up now.
Next Thursday, October 17, is the Great Washington ShakeOut when millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school or home!
Do you know what to do if an earthquake hits?
Check out tips to be prepared on the City website.
For more information on the Great Washington ShakeOut, visit https://www.shakeout.org/washington/
Kick off planting season in our urban forests with Green Kirkland Week
October 18 through October 27 is Green Kirkland Week. Join the Green Kirkland Partnership to celebrate the start of planting season, our native forest ecosystems, and all the wonderful volunteers that care for our natural area parkland.
Visit the Green Kirkland event calendar to find a volunteer stewardship event near you and volunteer for Green Kirkland Week!
Green Kirkland Week Volunteer Events 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Juanita Bay Park - East
Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Juanita Open Space #1
Sunday, October 20, 2024 | 01:00 PM to 03:00 PM - Kingsgate Park
Saturday, October 26, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Josten Park
Saturday, October 26, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Everest Park - Arbor Day
Saturday, October 26, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM - Rose Hill Meadows Park
Kirkland Arbor Day
The week culminates with a Kirkland Arbor Day event to celebrate Kirkland’s urban forest.
Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024
Location: Everest Park, 500 8th St S.
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Volunteer with Green Kirkland Stewards and help plant, mulch, remove weeds, and care for the natural areas at Everest park. Registration required.
12 – 1 p.m.
Ceremonial Tree Planting. Join Mayor Kelli Curtis, and your neighbors, to celebrate trees and the benefits they give our community with a ceremonial tree planting in the park. Help us plant a tree that will give us shade, clean air, and clean water for years to come! No registration required.
More information on the event page.
Did you know…
Global forests removed about one-third of fossil fuel emissions annually from 1990 to 2007 (source: U.S. Forest Service)
If you are like most people, you probably have a drawer full of old cables, dead cellphones, old computers, headphones, etc. This year, celebrate International E-waste Day by cleaning out that drawer of unwanted electronic waste and recycle it! There are many benefits to recycling e-waste it conserves natural resources because many electronics contain precious metals and other materials that could be reused. Recycling means less goes to landfill, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and prevents toxic chemicals like mercury, lead, and cadmium from being released into the environment In Washington, computers, monitors, televisions, tablets and e-readers have free recycling through E-cycle Washington, a product stewardship program that ensures free and easy recycling. Find out more at Electronics Recycling – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov).
You may take many E-cycle Washington covered electronics for free recycling or reuse to the locations below. Non E-cycle items may have a charge or may not be accepted – contact each location for more information.
- Pacific Power Batteries of Kirkland
13205 NE 124th St #A, Kirkland, WA 98034
425-820-3727
- PC Recycle
5817 238th St SE, Woodinville, WA 98072
(425) 881-4444
- Goodwill Juanita
9826 NE 132nd St, Kirkland, WA 98034
(425) 823-7430
Our Pet Tag Photo Contest is going ghoulish this October!
Enter for a chance to win $50 Kirkland Ca$h. All you need to do to enter is take a photo of your furry friend(s) in a family friendly Howloween costume displaying their pet license tag, post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter/X, and include #KirklandPetTags.
If you need a pet license, drop by Kirkland City Hall, the Kirkland Justice Center, or visit www.Kirklandwa.gov/petlicense to renew or sign up for a pet license, and get $15 in Kirkland Ca$h redeemable at participating businesses in Kirkland.
Dressing up your pet(s) for Howloween can be a lot of fun. Remember these safety tips:
It's Fire Prevention Week! This year’s theme: “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
Working smoke alarms in the home is so crucial, and that's why it's important to INSTALL, TEST, and REPLACE.
The Kirkland Fire Department offers these safety tips for smoke detectors in the home:
- You should install smoke alarms in every bedroom.
- There should also be alarms outside every sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Smoke detectors are designed to emit a “chirp” every few minutes if the battery is low.
- You can find additional information regarding smoke alarms at The National Fire Prevention Association safety tip sheet.
Giving blood is a simple way to express gratitude for your own good health and know you’re taking action to help a local patient facing a serious medical condition. Schedule an appointment to give blood at Kirkland City Hall November 6 or 7 to help make sure we all have a healthy year together. Make it a celebration – of hope, community, and the power we all have to save a life.
I-405 southbound overnight lane reductions
Up to three lanes of southbound I-405 between SR 522 and Northeast 160th Street near Bothell will close 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, to 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, while crews shift traffic for the I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project. Multiple ramps will also be closed 11 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday. This work requires dry weather and could be rescheduled.
124th Avenue Northeast
Southbound 124th Avenue Northeast remains closed this week to automotive traffic between Northeast 116th and 124th streets.
Reed Excavating will maintain the southbound closure 24 hours a day, seven days a week until at least 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The 124th Avenue Northeast Improvements contractor will detour southbound traffic onto Slater Avenue Northeast. Customers, however, will be able to access the Totem Square commercial area by turning south onto 124th Avenue Northeast from westbound Northeast 120th Street.
During the lane-closure, Metro King County will move a few hundred feet to the north a bus stop on Totem Lake Boulevard, which serves the 225 and 239 routes.
The detour will, for nearly two weeks, overlap with a road paving project on Slater Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 120th and 124th streets. Private developer Fairfield will work at night to repave a section of Slater Avenue Northeast. Fairfield is building The Brynn Apartments.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/124thavenue
116th Avenue Northeast
Construction begins Monday, Oct. 14 near Lake Washington High School for the first Transportation Benefit District funded project. Drivers on 116th Avenue Northeast will encounter construction vehicles and lane shifting north of Northeast 70th Street as Kirkland's contractor builds sidewalks, curb and gutter, and storm water improvements.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/tbd
Goat Hill
Goat Hill residents should expect daytime road closures this week on Northeast 116th Place.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/goathill
Juanita Drive
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 with flaggers controlling the flow of traffic.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/juanitadrivecorridor
Additionally, a separate stormwater construction project will reduce Juanita drive to one lane at 86th Avenue Northeast. Kirkland's contractor is installing a new stormwater system at this location. Work is now expected through November.
Visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Construction-Projects/NE-Juanita-Dr-and-86th-Ave-NE-Storm-Improvements-Project
100th Avenue Northeast
OMA Construction is alternating traffic at various locations between Northeast 137th and 145th streets. The legal speed limit through the construction zone is 25 miles per hour. Expect delays with increased traffic as school resumed.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/100thavedesign
Eighth Avenue West and Fifth Street West
Water services are being installed along 8th Avenue West between 4th Street West and Market Street. Flaggers are located at the intersections to allow for emergency vehicles.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/eighthavenuewestupgrade
Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street
Lake Street’s intersection with Kirkland Avenue is now open, and minor impacts to traffic flow are expected for delivery of materials throughout the remainder of construction. Pedestrian access changes, so please follow the pedestrian detour routes. Businesses remain open during construction.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/lakestreetpedscramble
Dia de los Muertos
Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 2 - 4 p.m.
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center - 352 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland
Ages: All Ages
Cost: FREE
We invite you to our Día De Los Muertos celebration! Let’s remember our loved ones and enjoy activities, music, light refreshments and more! Bring the whole family, this is a free event for all ages! Bring a photo of your loved one to add to our ofrenda.
For more information please visit kirklandwa.gov/CommunityBuildingEvents or call 425-587-3336.
Parking will be limited, please consider parking at the Peter Kirk Municipal Parking Garage under the Kirkland Library or on street parking.
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Check out last year's Pee Wee Monster Bash for a sneak peak at the family friendly offerings.