May 9, 2024
Get Kirkland news and info on the go. Special guest this week: Kirkland's Building Official, Kurt Aldworth tells us all about Building Safety Month.
The Kirkland City Council met on May 7, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
- Council approved Ordinance O-4876 to amend various sections of the Kirkland Zoning Code and Ordinance O-4877 to amend various sections of the Kirkland Municipal Code.
- Council directed staff to tell King County Metro the City’s preferred routing for the upcoming RapidRide K Line.
- Council recognized the graduates of the 33rd Community Emergency Response Training class.
- The Mayor, on behalf of the City Council, proclaimed Affordable Housing Week, National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Bike Everywhere Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Older Americans Month, and Building Safety Month in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
- Draft Resolution R-5631 Declaring the City's Commitment to Addressing Homelessness
- Council Operations
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 May 21, 2024.
Help Us Shape the Next 20 Years of Kirkland
Building on months of community engagement and focused staff work, we’re kicking off the home stretch of our Comprehensive Plan process. Next up? Public Hearings on the Kirkland Comprehensive Plan.
Your presence and feedback are crucial in ensuring that the Comprehensive Plan reflects the needs and aspirations of our diverse community. Your insights will help guide decisions that will impact our city's development and growth.
All Public Hearings will be held at City Hall during Kirkland Planning Commission meetings starting at 6:00 p.m. Open Houses will be from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Prior to each meeting, an opportunity to speak with staff and ask questions will be provided. Visit the Planning Commission website for more information.
May 9 Topics: Vision Statement & Guiding Principles; Parks, Recreation & Open Space; Economic Development
May 23 Topics: Land Use; Sustainability, Climate & Environment; Human Services; Neighborhood Plan updates; Community Amendment requests (CAR’s)
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 week of May 5 is National Correctional Officers Week. This week we celebrate Kirkland's Correctional Officers, a behind-the-scenes job that helps keep our community safe. These dedicated public servants provide a important function in our society tending to and helping rehabilitate offenders. Thank you, Correctional Officers!
May 5 - 11 is also Municipal Clerks week! We are grateful to the City Clerk's Office staff who diligently prepare the City Council agendas, help the Council meetings run smoothly, help make sure the City's responding to public records requests in a timely fashion, and do so much more in support of our local government. Thank you, City Clerk's Office!
May is Building Safety Month. Week 2 is all about Preparing a Building Safety Plan.
Week 1 covered minimizing the possibility of fires and other risks, but are you prepared in the event of an emergency? Emergencies are unexpected, start by planning against hazards. Common prevention tips include:
- Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area and inside every bedroom.
- Test each smoke alarm regularly. Replace alarms every ten years and replace batteries every year.
- Never overload electrical cords or power strips
- Don’t use appliances that have damaged cords
In the event of an emergency:
- Keep all hallways clear
- Do not block windows and doors
- Make an escape plan so everyone knows how to get out fast
- Review at least two exit routes from your home or neighborhood to a designated meeting place for your family
- Create a disaster supply kit that will allow you to remain in your home after a disaster or for use after evacuating to a safer location
It’s no fun having a bike stolen, but unfortunately, it’s a common occurrence in many places. The following tips can help prevent bicycle theft, or recover a stolen bicycle:
- Don’t leave your bike unattended in your yard, even for a second.
- Don’t hide your bike in the bushes; thieves know where to look.
- Lock up your bicycle. Use a case-hardened “U” lock or hardened steel chain and padlock and attach your bike securely to a sturdy fixed object.
- Remember to also lock parts attached with quick-release mechanisms.
- Lock your bike in an area that is well lit and can be seen by passing pedestrians and motorists.
- To prevent the theft of accessories, such as lights and bags, they should be detached and taken with you when the bicycle is unattended.
- As soon as you purchase a bike, keep the receipt and take a clear photo of the bike. Record the make, model, and serial number of the bike. The serial number is usually located on the rear wheel or beneath the bottom bracket where the pedals attach. Keep the receipt, photo, and bicycle information in a safe place.
Primary factors that contribute to pedestrian and bicyclist injuries are failure to yield to other roadway users and distracted driving such as talking or texting while behind the wheel.
Safety tips for drivers to save lives:
- Stop for people in crosswalks. Whether marked or unmarked, it’s the law.
- Do not use your phone while driving. Talking &/or talking on your phone seriously impairs your driving ability. It will also cost you if you get a ticket.
- Do not drive while impaired or sleep deprived. These can reduce your ability to see, decide, and react in time.
- Before turning, look, then look again. Pedestrians and bicyclists can be anywhere but are more likely to be near schools, senior centers, community centers, and shopping districts.
- Drive at the posted speed limit. Just a few mph over could end up being the difference between life and death.
- Use your lights. Make using your daylight running lights a habit. It makes your vehicle more visible.
- Get to know the safety tips and pedestrian laws that help keep Washington walkers safe.
For more visit: WSDOT’s webpage on pedestrian laws and safety.
Do you have the knowledge and confidence to save a life? Do you want to learn how to provide CPR? Swing by Fire Station 22 on May 22nd from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The Kirkland Fire Department is partnering with the Medic One Foundation (MOF) to provide free CPR training.
MOF is sending certified instructors to provide class participants a high-quality hands-on experience and instruction in emergency.
Classes are customizable to fit your needs. When registering, you will have the option to register for just the CPR/AED portion of the class or add the First Aid portion. The CPR/AED and First Aid classes are free for participants who do not require a certification card.
• CPR/AED Non-Certified: FREE
• CPR/AED & First Aid Certified: $60
• CPR/AED & First Aid Non-Certified: FREE
All class participants must be 12 years old or older. Participants under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register for a CPR Class, visit the Medic One Foundation.
With warmer weather comes more time out at our waterfront parks and beaches. Did you know King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks monitors bacteria levels on a weekly basis during warmer months? Sampling begins Monday, May 13 at Juanita Beach, Waverly Beach, Houghton Beach, and Juanita Creek. Sampling will continue every Monday.
When the beach is closed for swimming due to high bacteria levels, signs will be posted at the beach that read “Stay out of the Water.” The surrounding park will remain open to the public.
Youth transit ambassadors are helping promote transit ridership to middle school and high school students in Kirkland.
Watch Dila and Ela take their friend on a transit journey from Kirkland to the University of Washington to see the famous cherry blossoms in full glorious, pink-popping bloom.
Not sure how to take public transportation? See Ela's handy transit navigation tutorial on how to use Google Maps to find your way by transit! With Ela’s tutorial, anyone can do it. This is how we move closer toward the goal of reducing reliance on drive-alone vehicles!
Kirkland Parks and Community Foundation (KCPF) is working with the City of Kirkland to support the purchase of the iconic Fisk property. This unique and idyllic piece of old Kirkland is on 6th St. adjacent to the Cross Kirkland Corridor (map). Featuring the babbling Everest Creek, this natural refuge and tranquil oasis of green will be preserved for all to enjoy.
KCPF is raising funds to help support the purchase of this unique property, which was purchased by the City in part with loans in 2023. Learn more, and contribute, at KPCF.org.
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 Eighth Avenue West or Fifth Street West while a Kirkland contractor upgrades the water and sewer mains beneath the streets.
Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street
Lake Street’s intersection with Kirkland Avenue will remain closed until June 1. Kirkland’s Lake Street pedestrian scramble contractor closed it April 1 for two months while its crews rebuild the intersection into the city’s first pedestrian scramble.
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 mid-May 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 alternating traffic at various locations between Northeast 137th and 145th streets. The legal speed limit through the construction zone is 25 miles per hour.
Fire Station 27 Ribbon Cutting
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 12127 NE 132nd St, Kirkland 98034
Come one, come all to the grand opening of Kirkland’s BRAND NEW Fire Station 27 on Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.!
Community members can tour the newly opened station, meet the Fire Chief, and explore fire trucks at the event. The construction of our new Fire Station 27 was made possible by Kirkland voters passing the Fire & Emergency Medical Services levy (Fire Prop 1) in 2020.
Parking is limited, please follow our map!
Spring Recycling Collection Event
Location: Lake Washington Institute for Technology, 11605 132nd Ave NE
Kirkland's recycling collection events allows residents to dispose of recyclable items that are not accepted through recycling collection services or product stewardship programs. All items collected will be reused or recycled.
KCLS events
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Kingsgate Library
Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes that develop your child's early literacy skills.
Newborn to age 6 with adult.
Tutors at Kirkland Library (Study Zone)
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Location: Kirkland Library
Volunteer tutors provide homework help for grades K-12. They can also give language support for homework or translation in many languages.
Time: 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Location: Kingsgate Library
Explore electricity and create your own contraption using simple circuits, motorized vibration and recycled materials with KidsQuest Children's Museum. Think like an engineer and get creative as you decorate your wiggling, jiggling bug.
Please register children ONLY online or at the Information Desk. Accompanying adults do not need to register.
Registration opens May 11. Find more on the JitterBugs page.
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Browse our Parks Recreation Programs and see what might interest you!