Meeting Notes - November 19, 2007

​1.  Welcome by Mark Eliasen
2. Kirkland Chief of Police:

• Welcome to Chief Olson.  He introduced Officer Gibbons, who has been on the force 7 months and is a Lateral officer moving into the neighborhood.   Also welcomed were the Mayor and several City Council members who took the time to attend the meeting.
  Chief Olson has been with the city 19 years.  Worked in all districts.  Moved up through the ranks.  Captain for Services (Jails, budget, communications) then moved to being Captain of Operations and the onto Chief.  
• Police Department: 68.5 officers and is fully staffed with a few extra bodies as it takes 1.5 years to bring on a new hire and bring them up to speed.  Kirkland is considered a medium sized department - although it ranks in the top 4% of departments in size nationwide. Kirkland is unusual as it keeps all departments in house.  We have own jail, communications center, K-9, traffic, patrol, crime analysis, and 911 response center.  Jail is in the lower level of City Hall. 
• One of three agencies within King County with a Domestic Violence Team.  Investigator, Advocate, DART program - trained volunteers support victims of DV. 
• All officers have gone through the State's program.  Have a specialist in Cybercrime. 
• Questions for Chief Olson: 
  • High crime cities - how did Kirkland rank?  Did not see specific list, crime levels in Kirkland level.  Low number of incidents. Not historically a lot of homicides.  Most property crimes.  
  • Concerns about walking downtown alone?  No - no concern.  Safe for people any time day or night.  Clubs close people walk home and then joggers start around 4 am.  So usually enough traffic. 
  • Level of staff and capacity of Public Safety building - crowded, but not out of control.  Looking into possible expansion 
  • 911 Center - Kirkland has own Center.  Transitioning to regional center including Bellevue, Redmond, etc.  If you are on your cell phone and call 911 the system picks up where you are calling from and could find by location or you may be picked up by a State center and then transferred to regional agency. 
  • How many people on patrol at any one time.  4 shifts.  Supervisor and 8 officers.  Average about 6 officers on shift on the streets at any one time.  Kirkland is 5 districts. 
  • Holiday DWI task force going to be in place. 
  • Is Kirkland considering red light cameras?  Not at the moment.  
  • Suggestion for department to cite  people for failure  to stop for  crosswalks.   
  • Per capita staffing - is there concern as we have one of the lowest levels of officers per population.  NYPS 2.2 officers.  Kirkland 1.45 officers per person  In the regional ballpark.  Not so concerned with formula.  Chief thinks we can provide the services.  Have well trained, well equipped officers.   We are doing fine.  Would more be better - of course, but we do well. 
  • Noise ordinance - cars in particular.  How frequently is this enforced?  Mostly during the summer is when it is enforced. Equipment noise - anything that is not stock they can cite, but custom bikes are then considered stock.  Do enforce when needed.  Start and stop time for construction?  Did not know. Thinks it is 7 am to 7 pm.  Same with construction on weekends.  Is that construction or a homeowner. 
  • Annexation - how many more officers would be needed?  Think we need about 44 more officers.  No, there should not be a lessening of services.  Looking to develop more regional services.  Would probably need a new facility at all. 
  • Would the Park Place redevelopment require more police services?  Has been taken into consideration and is being looked at. 
  • Vandalism and bar closing time.  What can we do and what are the police doing?  Different group of citizens out from 11 pm- close.  Work DWI's heavily.  Officers do heavily patrol downtown.  Undercover officers in bars looking for overservice.  Officers in parking lot.  Zero tolerance policy for people causing a problem.  Met with various bar owners.  Worked with KDA to work with bar owners to ensure they understand their part in the whole business community.  Work it from various angles.  Worked with licensing departments to shut clubs down for violations.  
  • Anna's Ride Home - offers free rides home for people who have had too much to drink.  Most bars are signed up with the program.  
  • Neighborhood resource officer - Alan O'Neill is the contact.
  • Encourages people to call or e-mail him with concerns.

3.  Announcements &  Issues:

• Traffic light - 3rd and Kirkland - Bob Sternoff -  Sound transit decided the transit center should be there and this resulted in the need for a stop light.  Center will not be built for 4 years.  Money with that project.  However, City decided to fund it.  Now engineering is looking into the issue.  Should be put in by the end of 2008 if all goes well.  Currently with Sound Transit engineers looking into some concerns and issues. 
• Kirkland Holiday activities: http://explorekirkland.com/events  Including Christmas ships, bonfires, Christmas tree lights - lighting on November 24th at 7 pm in the Marina. 
• Annexation: Should read up on this issue and voice your opinions to Council and let the members know your thoughts as Kirkland residents are not voting.  
•  At least three proposals for 4 and 5 story building if you are concerned about this contact Marna Hanneman - [email protected] 
• Height Concerns for downtown buildings. Contact Rob Brown to sign a petition asking that the Council limit the height of buildings facing Lake St.  Rob states that residents downtown are requesting a moratorium until DAC finishes their proposal and the City accepts and defines it's downtown vision.  Rob's e-mail is [email protected] 
• Not going to allow commercial establishments to come in and discuss their business.  This group is not designed for that purpose.

4: Neighborhood Connections Program: 

Kari Page neighborhood service coordinator.  Liaison to city.  Sent out cards asking what people wanted in the area for improvements.  Got 41 cards back.  

• Each neighborhood gets $25,000 every 3 years. How will the $25,000 be spend and how was this determined?  
• Action Request Ideas - team will look at these and make decisions on how to best allocate the money to fill these needs.  Ballots will be sent to all Moss Bay homes so people can vote on their favorite top three ideas.
• Some proposals included:
  • top priority - street light near library.  This is being addressed by City and Sound transit 
  • Parkplace/Peter Kirk park - traffic 
  • Crosswalks and pedestrian access hard to maneuver 
  • Railroad trestle - easement with place to safely walk 
  • Brink Park - needs restrooms 
  • Better lighting and crosswalks in downtown.  
  • Put more mile posts on Lake Washington Blvd.  Add map route. 
  • No signs for Marina Park 
  • Improved trash receptacles - add recycling bins and dog waste receptacles. 
  • Street lights - if can put on power poll it is about $500.  To put in new ones it is about $30,000.  City is doing a study to see if lights all over the city are effective. 
  • Pool Cover 
  • Fill Ditch on 2nd 
  • Dog park 
  • Bury utility lines

5: Neighborhood Projects - Various Status Reports

• One way to keep up is to contact the city planner and ask to be updated on projects.  You will then get mailed information on all meetings 
• Heathman Hotel.  Now open 
• PACE city - 7th Ave South - near Google.  Still owned by original owner.  Camwest wants to buy it.  Groundwater pollution issues.  Camwest wants to oversee cleanup.  Owner will not let them.  In negotiations to have Camwest supervise the cleanup. 
• Camwest - State street - Project for the old Green Funeral Home property was approved by a hearing examiner and is now waiting for City Council approval of the 26 unit proposal with Historic Overlay for the mansion.
• Nettleton project.  Pending approval by City Council. 26 single family homes.  Save mansion and sell as a single family residence.  Will keep as many trees as possible. 
• Google - across the railroad tracks.  Google moving in in March.  Phased move in.  End of summer all three buildings occupied.  600-700 people plus.  All parking on site. 
• Assembly of God.  2nd and State.  Looking for tenant.  Will build once they get a tenant.  Nothing firm.  2 story office building. 
• Library will be remodeled.  Will be closed for a year.  Going North towards ball field.  Not sure if garage will be available.  Could impact parking 
• Parkplace - meeting and website.  Needs variance.  Still in process.  Still in planning commission and design review board.  
• Merrill Gardens - underway. 
• B of A project - Merrill Gardens two - independent living. Ground floor retail with 4 floors of residential above. 
• “Mcleod proposal” -  Parcel along Lake St. extending from Ben and Jerry’s to Hector’s and back to Calabria. Site would be developed with ground floor retail and three floors of office above, which would make it about the same height as a 5 story residential building. Reports indicate preliminary plans were not well received at the Design Review Board meeting on Nov. 15.
• U.S. Bank project proposal for the site on Central Way.  Ground floor retail with 3 floors of residential above. “Pre-submittal” meeting with the Planning Dept. next week and plans to the Design Review Board shortly after.

A good source of information on proposed projects in downtown is the Design Review Board web page on the City site.
Our next meeting will be January  15, 7PM, at Heritage Hall.