Meeting Notes - September 15, 2014

Don Winters called the meeting to order. We had a turnout of about 25 members. 

Dave Tomson of SRM Development was our first guest. Dave manages the Google Phase II project which is well under way on 7th Ave. S. The project, which will be one of the few LEED Platinum buildings in the state, is slated to be finished by June 1. Google has big plans for the Cross Kirkland Corridor, which passes between Google's Phase I and Phase II campus'. Amenities will include a 16-foot wide hard surface trail, a meandering secondary trail, a basketball court, resting and gathering spots, trees, beach dunes with a volleyball court, and a children's play structure (see map). A pedestrian bridge will be built over the trail for use by Google employees. The CKC will be closed for construction of the improvements. The trail will divert to the west from Nov 1st - December 31st 2014 and divert to the east from January 1st - the end of May 2015 (see another map). SRM / Google also will facilitate construction of two new traffic signals on 6th Street South at Kirkland Way and at 9th Avenue South, as well as new "missing link" sidewalks on the south side of 7th Ave. S. and the west side of 6th St. S. Dave previously reported on this project at our Jan. 21, 2013 meeting and there is more info in the minutes of that meeting.
 
Jim Tosti of Windward Real Estate Services was our next guest. Jim told us about his project located at the current Kirkland Professional Center site at 433 State St. There will be 27 units made up of one multi unit building, a number of duplexes and two affordable units. Access to the project will be off of 2nd St. S. There will be no access from State Street. 25 units will range from 2400 to 3100 square feet and probably be priced in the $1.2 to $1.4 million range. The two affordable units will be available to moderate income buyers who are qualified by ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing). They will be 1000-1100 square feet and sell for about $330,000. Jim plans to start construction this fall and complete it by the end of 2015.
 
Pattijean Hooper, Kirkland's Emergency Manager, gave us a briefing on emergency preparedness We Probably Aren't Coming -- But We Are Here Now. The City of Kirkland serves approximately 81,000 citizens. In a major disaster we will have approximately 30 first responders to assist this population! In such times, citizens will have to fend for themselves for some time, even if injured. For info on how to prepare, visit the Office of Emergency Management web site.
 
Bea Nahon, Moss Bay’s representative to the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN), presented a report:
 
-The City of Kirkland, Kirkland Neighborhoods and Hopelink hope to collect more food and money donations this year than last as part of Kirkland’s Month of Concern for the Hungry.  In 2013, nearly 6,000 pounds of food and over $1,300 in cash donations were received. Donations will benefit Kirkland residents and will be available at Hopelink’s Kirkland/Northshore Food Bank.  On Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28, 2014 the following Kirkland grocery stores will have collection bins: PCC, Metropolitan Market, Red Apple, all Safeway stores, and all QFC stores.  To help with the collection, more than 150 volunteers are needed for the Food Drive scheduled for the weekend. Morning, mid-day and late-afternoon volunteer shifts are available.  To sign up to volunteer, go to http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/Month_of_Concern_for_the_Hungry.htm or contact Kari Page, Neighborhood Services Coordinator at 425-587-3011 or [email protected].
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      -KAN is proud to present the first ever "State of the City" address for Kirkland residents! It will be held at Kirkland City Hall, in Council Chambers, from 7 until 9PM. Mayor Amy Walen and City Manager Kurt Triplett will share the latest updates on the City Council’s Work Program including:
o Cross Kirkland Corridor
o Totem Lake Business District Revitalization
o Aquatics/Recreation/Community Center
o Kirkland 2035 – Comprehensive Plan Update
o 2015-2016 Budget

There will also be an opportunity for Q&A with the Mayor and City Manager. We hope to see a strong turnout from the Moss Bay Neighborhood!
-The Planning Commission is in the process of deliberating possible reductions in the parking requirements for multi-family housing (e.g. apartments and condos). Jeremy McMahan from the Kirkland Planning Department came to our meeting in May to let us know about this, however there are some additional possible reductions being considered which have evolved after that time and those additional possible reductions almost entirely apply only to the Moss Bay neighborhood. This proposal comes from a pilot study that was funded by King County and from data gathered by counting occupied parking stalls in various properties around the area, including several in Kirkland. 

The requirements throughout the City could be reduced from 1.7 stalls per unit under current rules, to a lesser requirement based on the composition of units. In downtown/CBD, the requirements could change from 1 stall per bedroom with a minimum of 1.3 stalls per unit, to the same requirement being proposed for the rest of the City.

In addition, the proposed change which applies to our neighborhood is that if a property is located within a one-half mile walk from the Downtown Transit Center and if certain transit provisions are included for the residents, then a further 15% reduction would be allowed to the number of required parking stalls.

The proposal would also change the visitor parking requirements to 10% (in addition to the required stalls for residents). Currently the visitor requirement is “up to” one-half stall per unit.

The Planning Commission has held its public hearing and on September 25, they will deliberate their recommendation to City Council. Although the Planning Commission hearing is closed for public testimony, it remains open for written comments submitted prior to its meeting. KAN had requested that the public hearing remain open for written comments to allow neighborhoods and residents to have time to submit their comments.

Common “pro” comments include not requiring projects to have to overspend on parking stalls that will go unused. Common “concern” comments include concerns about parking spilling onto neighboring streets from residents with more cars than allotted parking stalls and concerns about availability of dependable transit.
For more information, please see http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/planning/Boards_and_Commissions/Planning_Commission.htm and specifically the August 28 meeting documents and the packet for the upcoming September 25 meeting. The May 22 meeting data may also be helpful for you.
Please submit your comments, be those pro or con or suggestions for changes. Comments should be submitted as soon as possible – and before September 25 -  to [email protected]. If you will be sending comments prior to September 22, please also include [email protected] as they are also considering the matter.
Glenn Peterson mentioned the upcoming Oktoberfest, a festival of music, beer, and fun that will take place at Marina Park on Sept 26-28. More info at the Oktoberfest web site.
 
Our next meeting will be Nov 17, 2014 7PM at Heritage Hall, 203 Market. St.