Meeting Notes - July 21, 2003

Kirkland Library Meeting Room

Mark Masterson called the meeting to order.  We had a good turnout due to our publicizing the Magnuson Park Lighting Issue.  The first to speak were Kim Wells and Vance Thompson of  "Friends of Magnuson Park", a Seattle group that is leading the effort to prevent the Magnuson Park Playfields from being built with their massive amount of lighting -- 640 individual lights of 1000 watts each on 80 light poles.  Kim and Vance covered the basics of their opposition to the project, including lighting, loss of wetlands and noise.  Don Winters of MBNA, also spoke about how we can work to get our Kirkland city government to actively oppose the project and it's negative impacts.  Don mentioned that the Environmental Impact Statement issued for the park project did not address the impacts on Kirkland and that alone should be reason enough for our government to act.  Kirkland City Council Persons Jim Lauinger and Dave Asher were on hand and mentioned that we should present our case at a City Council Meeting.  We will be doing that in early August.


Mark Masterson showed off our new neighborhood logo, which will be on the paver we bought for the walkway at Heritage Hall on Market Street.  Mark also mentioned that we will be meeting in the new hall in September -- one of the first groups to use the newly dedicated building!


Mark asked for persons willing to be co chair or to work on a committee for MBNA.  Julie McAvoy, a new Kirklander, said she might be interested.


Mark mentioned the Matching Grant Program and what projects we might pursue.  Mass mailings,  additional neighborhood signs, a neighborhood picnic, were some of the ideas.  Kari Page, Kirkland's Neighborhood Services Coordinator,  mentioned that our one sign was paid for by the city and that would be installed when the turn lane on 68th Street and State Street was completed in the fall.  We could use Matching grant money if we wanted additional signs (about $5000 each).


Kari also mentioned that the "Neighborhood Connections" programs would be going forward.  The lights -- low style, about four feet tall -- would be installed on the Brink Park dock.   The walkway at Brink would also be extended so that the north end would connect back up to the sidewalk on Lake Street.  Flower pots will be installed along Park Lane as part of the program with Kirkland Downtown on the Lake agreeing to contribute plants and maintenance.


Glenn Peterson has been active representing our group both with the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) and  on the working group that will be developing an implementation strategy for the Lakeshore Plaza project of the Downtown Strategic Plan.