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August 15, 2024
Listen to special guest Councilmember Neal Black share how his passions led him in life and ultimately to Kirkland.
The next regular meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on September 3, 2024. More information about the meeting will be included in an upcoming edition of ‘This Week in Kirkland’ and on the City Council webpage.
Follow Along with the K2044 Process and Provide Public Comment
Interested in how the City plans for the next 20 years? Check out upcoming dates for the Comprehensive Plan update:
- August 22 - Planning Commission will deliberate on the Land Use Element and Market St. Corridor Plan
- September 17 - City Council will hold a study session on the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan
For more information, and how to get involved, visit the K2044 webpage.
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.
In our Meet the Council video series, Councilmembers share their interests, what it is like being a Councilmember, and why the community should get involved.
Watch our video for a fun conversation with Councilmember Neal Black and hear about his hopes and visions for the community and how his experiences influence his service on Council.
We are looking for Kirkland residents who want to change the world! The Kirkland Initiative is an 8-week City of Kirkland Leadership Program and is an opportunity for all in Kirkland to:
- Network with neighbors, City officials, and staff
- Learn Kirkland’s civic engagement process and policies
- Gain leadership skills that will last a lifetime
Interested to learn more? Info and applications now available at www.kirklandwa.gov/kirklandinitiative
Monday, August 12, marked the opening of Connections Kirkland - a crisis response center that is the first of its kind in King County to provide a spectrum of care services from walk-in mental health urgent care to continued stabilization of behavioral health or substance use crises.
The new crisis response center fills a void of coordinated behavioral health care in King County by providing community members in crisis with three important resources: someone to call, someone to respond and somewhere to go.
On July 29, 2024, members of Kirkland City Council, staff, regional representatives and elected officials, and Connections Health Solutions toured the facility and held a ribbon cutting for this important milestone in health and wellbeing on the Eastside.
Learn more: https://connectionshs.com/kirkland
Houghton Beach Park has been reopened as of August 13 for swimming, wading and other water activities, by recommendation of Public Health – Seattle & King County. The beach had been closed to swimming since July 16 due to elevated bacteria levels.
Water quality staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division tested the water this week and notified the City that the waters were again safe for recreational use. King County crews will return weekly to the beach throughout the summer to take samples to ensure that the water is safe.
For additional details, visit King County’s Lake Swimming Beach Data webpage.
Last Thursday, August 8, the Kirkland City Council and Parks & Community Services staff celebrated the completion of the temporary Park & Play with a ribbon-cutting ceremony! Thank you for celebrating with us and enjoying popsicles, a skate park and pump track demonstration, and a pickleball match.
The temporary recreation features at the site include:
- Community Gardens
- Pickleball Courts
- Modular Skate Park
- Modular Pump Track
- Bicycle Play Garden
These improvements will remain in place as the City evaluates the long-term uses of the site. Learn more at www.kirklandwa.gov/houghton-park-and-play
The Houghton Park and Play temporary park is located at 6920 NE 70TH PL, Kirkland 98033.
Save the Date for Fall 2024 / Winter 2025 Recreation Registration!
• Kirkland resident registration opens on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at 7 a.m.
• Registration for all community members opens August 22, 2024 at 8 a.m.
Prepare for registration by updating or creating your account today. Visit kirklandparks.net and click on the "Account" tab in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Or call us at 425-587-3336.
Browse the Recreation Guide and find more information at kirklandparks.net
Join us for our 4th annual See Spot Splash event on Saturday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.!
Bring your dog to splash and play at the Peter Kirk Pool, then head over to nearby Lee Johnson Field for some off-leash fun! Sponsored by Emerald City Orthodontics and brought to you by the City of Kirkland.
This event will include vendor booths, music, and treats. Participating dogs must be well behaved, show proof of vaccination, and be on a leash to enter. We hope you can join us!
Register online now at bit.ly/4d43n29, call 425-5787-3336, or pay in person at the pool. For event details, visit kirklandwa.gov/CommunityBuildingEvents.
Across the state of Washington it is now prohibited to sell and distribute expanded polystyrene (EPS) food service products such as plates, bowls, trays, cups, clamshell style containers, portable coolers, and packing peanuts. There are some exceptions to the banned products such as block EPS, trays for packaging for meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, and fruit, egg cartons, and some others. The ban applies to any person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, government entity, organization, or joint venture selling or distributing EPS products covered by the ban. Learn more about the EPS Ban. Anyone can report a suspected violation of the Expanded Polystyrene ban by following instructions on the EPS Ban webpage.
Northeast 132nd Street
Northeast 132nd Street will have lane shifts and intermittent disruptions as Kirkland contractor works on the curb ramps in preparation to overlay the roadway from 100th Avenue Northeast to 112th Avenue Northeast.
Search ‘overlay’ on www.kirklandwa.gov
124th Avenue Northeast
Drivers traveling southbound on 124th Avenue Northeast are prohibited from turning left onto NE 120th Street. Kirkland’s contractor is widening 124th Avenue Northeast to five lanes and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
Search “124th Avenue” on www.kirklandwa.gov
Goat Hill
Goat Hill residents should expect road closures this week on Northeast 116th Place. Both the City contractor and PSE’s contractor are working at locations 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
100th Avenue Northeast
OMA Construction, over the next two weeks, will have intermittent disruptions to access to Northeast 144th Lane as crews work to install soldier pilings for a new wall on the west side of 100th Avenue Northeast. The Kirkland contractor is alternating traffic at various locations between Northeast 137th and 145th streets. Access to Northeast 144th Place from 100th Avenue Northeast expected to be closed until August 30th. The legal speed limit through the construction zone is 25 miles per hour.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/100thavedesign
Eighth Avenue West and Fifth Street West
Work is currently located on 8th Avenue West between Market Street and 3rd 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
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
Date: Thursday, August 22
Time: 1 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave
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 Required, to register please call 425-587-3336 or go to: https://tinyurl.com/mrxb8vwe
Hand Mending and Embroidery for Beginners
Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024
Time: 1- 3 p.m.
Location: Kingsgate Library, 12315 NE 143rd St
Give your wardrobe a refresh! Experts from MAKE Apothecary will teach you to sew buttons, mend holes and hide stains with embroidery. Bring your own items that need a little refresh or practice with our materials. Please register. Walk-ins welcome as space allows.
For more information, visit kcls.org
Blood Drive
Date: Wednesday, August 28 & Thursday, August 29
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: City Hall, 123 5th Ave
Donate and enter for a chance to win $3,000!
Join us in making sure that our community has the blood inventory needed to save lives, by booking your summer donation 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. Be sure that you have photo ID when you arrive to check in for your appointment.
Make an appointment online with BloodWorks.
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If you haven't heard, the planning commission is changing meeting times. Watch as Commission Chair Rodney Rutherford explains how you can get involved and shape Kirkland.