Kirkland Library Meeting Room
Laura Lee Pritt called the meeting to order and provided agendas and copies of the minutes from our last meeting. Karen Lightfeld, from Kirkland Downtown on the Lake, an organization that represents residents, property owners, and business owners in the downtown area, was our first guest. Karen briefed us on KDA's schedule for their "Kirkland Home for the Holidays" event, which includes several "nights of shopping", sales, and the annual Christmas Ship bonfire on Dec 22, 7:10 - 7:40 at Marina Park. Jeff Blake, Kirkland's Fire Chief, and Janelle McMillan, the police department's Community Resource Officer were the next speakers. Jeff spoke about the need for emergency preparation in our community. Having a personal plan of action in the case of an emergency is very important, including supplies and a contact point away from the local area that can be called to avoid local congestion on the phone system. In our neighborhood, the Senior Center would be a location used to treat injured and house those needing help. Janelle mentioned that she was a good contact when information was needed from the police department concerning their activities in our neighborhoods. Ellen McMahon answered questions concerning the downtown strategic plan, which she has been working on as a representative from our neighborhood. A new transit center is to be built in Kirkland and a location will need to be decided on. Three possible spots have been proposed -- two along 3rd Street close to the existing center, and one at the corner of Kirkland Avenue and State Street, roughly in the area of the present 75 State Street building (most recently "License Online"). Westwater Development owns this property and is proposing to build a retail/residential complex. Keith Maehlum of Westwater Real Estate Services described this plan for us at our August meeting. If this property were chosen to be the transit center, the complex would not be built. Dave Asher, city council member, and future councilman Jim Lauinger were on hand at the meeting to help with the discussion of the transit center. Don Winters will be heading up the Moss Bay Neighborhood's Traffic Task Force. We will be in contact with Tracy Burrows, Kirkland's Neighborhood Traffic Control Coordinator, to help devise and implement a traffic plan for our area, similar to the process used to create the Norkirk Plan. The meeting was adjourned and the next meeting will be Thursday, Feb 7, 7PM at the Kirkland Library meeting room. Comments are closed.
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