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It was great to see a big turnout for our City Council Candidates Forum. The entire agenda was dedicated to the event.
We started the evening with a moment of silence to remember the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We then heard a short talk from each candidate, followed by candidates each answering one question submitted by Moss Bay neighbors. We concluded with time for candidates and residents to mingle. Penny Sweet was unable to make it and provided a statement that was read during the forum. Candidates in attendance were:
Our next meeting will be November 13, 2017, at 7pm at Heritage Hall. King County Metro Update from Julie Paone, Transportation Planner at King County Metro
Totem Lake Development update from Kirkland’s Planning Department
For the Love of Kirkland event In January, Kirkland hosted a popular event that generated inspiring ideas for developing community connections. A group of attendees have planned a community-building event called Crossing Kirkland that will take place on September 9, 2017. They are envisioning stations for food and activities set up at different points along the CKC, hosted by each neighborhood association. Sign up to volunteer at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d4fa9a729a6fe3-project Update on matching grant project
Officer elections
Future agenda topics and summer social meeting
NORCOM – 911 Dispatch Information
Jeremy Henshaw, Acting Supervisor of NORCOM (North East King County Regional Public Safety Communication Agency), explained how the 911 dispatch system for police and fire departments operates. NORCOM answers both 911 and non-emergency numbers for Kirkland and other East King County cities. NORCOM answers both lines as 911, asking each caller if it is an emergency, and responds accordingly. If you call from a landline, the contact information associated with the number is captured. Cellphone calls don’t automatically provide NORCOM with addresses, and they are trained to help quickly identify where to send help if you don’t know your precise location. If you wish to remain anonymous, immediately tell NORCOM when you are connected. Once they ask your name, it becomes part of the record. They can make a note in the system that you want to be anonymous. King County has some of the quickest response rates for medical emergencies. The survival rate for heart attacks is about 65% compared to other parts of the country with rates as low as 5%. Other agencies visit NORCOM for training due to their outstanding response times. Jon Pascal – Newest City Council Member John was appointed to the council to replace Shelley Kloba, who stepped down after her election to the state Legislature. His appointment lasts until the November 2017 elections, which he will participate in to keep his seat. He is Chair of the Public Works, Parks, and Human Services Commission. John’s previous experience with the City includes serving as a transportation commissioner, a planning commissioner, as the Chair of the Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance, and on KAN’s board (Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods). As a Council Member, his priorities include:
Houghton Everest Neighborhood Center and 6th Street Corridor Lisa McConnell provided information about Houghton and Everest plans and City zoning. In 2009, the Houghton neighborhood began updating their neighborhood plan, including the business center. Since both Houghton and Everest span the business district, they joined together to ensure consistency. Currently the Neighborhood plan and Kirkland’s zoning for the area don’t match. Current City zoning only allows two stories for businesses. The neighborhood plan allows three to five stories. One of the largest factors is how to reconcile the two plans, but there are also many decisions that can be made during this process, including setbacks, design reviews, and density. More information can be found on Kirkland’s webpage for the project. If you have feedback or questions, you are encouraged to attend a community Open House at 6pm on March 23, at City Hall. At 7pm, a joint Public Hearing will take place with the Planning Commission and Houghton Community Council. Transit Plans The Transit Route 255 in Kirkland (along with other Eastside routes) will stop at the UW station starting in the autumn of 2018 instead of going directly to downtown Seattle. There will be an Open House in Kirkland about changes to transit. March 28, 2017, 6 – 8pm at Kirkland City Hall. You can find out more and take an online survey on King County’s Metro website. For the Love of Kirkland Projects To sign up to participate in the community projects proposed at the For the Love of Kirkland event, visit http://www.kirklandkan.org/resources.html. Matching Grant Volunteer Hours Moss Bay is eligible for up to $3,266 in matching grant funds from the City, which we voted to put towards a sign at Marina Park. To earn the grant, we need to complete 138 volunteer hours. Any hours Moss Bay residents volunteered since January 1, 2017 count, and we want to capture them all! Email contact@mossbay.org with your name, date and description of activity, and hours volunteered. For future qualifying activities:
Kirkland Senior Council and Resource Guide Syd Mack told us about the Kirkland’s Senior Council, which meets monthly and advocates for senior residents. One of their activities is an Art Show for creative works by residents age 50 or better, which is hosted annually at Merrill Gardens. The Senior Council publishes a guide with all types of resources seniors may need, including housing, medical, emergency information, legal resources, transportation and more. Physical copies of the guide can be picked up at PCC or made available to you upon request. An online version is continuously updated on the Senior Council website. Moss Bay Meeting Notes – January 9, 2017
Update on Affordable Housing from Kurt Triplett, Kirkland City Manager Kirkland’s City Council has prioritized Affordable Housing as a top issue for 2017, and the related transportation issues that come with it. People who work in Kirkland but can’t afford to live here are frequently commuting in single passenger cars because there aren’t practical bus routes. One aspect of Sound Transit 3 that impacts Kirkland is the Rapid bus ride from Everett to Burien, which will be implemented by 2024. Kirkland is addressing affordable housing in multiple ways, including:
Update from Bill Leedom, Talon Development for Kirkland Urban Phase One is currently in development. It includes 185 apartment units, 402,000 square feet of office space, 1,700 parking spaces, 92,000 square feet of new retail space. Tenants:
Neighborhood Matching Grant We voted to apply for Kirkland’s 2017/2018 Matching Grant program and to use the funds to build a kiosk at Marina Park that highlights Moss Bay’s history. For example, explaining the ferry schedule and clock. If funds are left over, we will donate them to Kirklands 4th of July celebration. The city allocates funds to neighborhoods based on population. Up to $3,266 is available to Moss Bay. To earn the funds, residents must either donate cash that is matched dollar-to-dollar, or contribute volunteer hours, that are valued at $21.79 per hour and must be logged and submitted to the city. Details about the Matching Grant program are on the city’s website here. Aimee Voelz will complete the application due by January 31, 2017. If you want to participate in defining the kiosk project for the application, email contact@mossbay.org. We will reach out to Moss Bay neighbors through these emails, our website, and Facebook page for help on volunteering projects and donations. Developer activity Kirkland The Potalla Village site is for sale. The maximum number of housing units is 58, and the current plan allows retail on the ground floor. Whoever purchases could build the existing plan, but is not required to. 42 multi-family housing projects are in the pipeline in Kirkland. The development at the lower Totem Lake Mall is slated to open by the end of 2017. The Antique Mall site is targeted for completion in May/June 2018. KAN (Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods) The Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods and the City of Kirkland are excited to invite you to attend a free, three-hour Neighborhood Forum led by acclaimed community engagement expert Peter Kageyama, author of For the Love of Cities and Love Where You Live. The event, called “For the Love of Kirkland,” will be held Monday, January 23 from 5:30 to 8:45 pm at Google. Dinner will be catered by Deru. Space is limited, so please RSVP right away. RSVP here: https://loveofkirkland.eventbrite.com Our next meeting is March 13, 2017. |
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