Moss Bay Meeting Notes - January 8, 2018

1.       Short-term Rental Ordinance

• Michael Olsen of Kirkland's Finance and Administration Department provided an update on the new ordinance, which mainly applies to Aibnb and vacation rentals.
• Key requirements for property owners include both City and State business licenses and paying State lodging tax.
• The City is enforcing the policy mainly by responding to complaints, but they may contract with a vendor or use software. The City mails letters to people out of compliance and if they continue to violate the rules, it is a misdemeanor crime.
• Bed and Breakfast rules for parking apply for short-term rentals, which is one parking stall per room rented.
• Details can be found on the City’s website here.

2.       David Wolbrecht is Kirkland’s Neighborhood Services Outreach Coordinator

• His primary role is to act as a liaison between the City and the Neighborhood Associations. This includes communicating City happenings and policies to the Associations and to other community or religious organizations.
• He produces the “This Week in Kirkland” email newsletter that you can subscribe to here.

3.       Animal Services

• The City stopped contracting with King County for animal licensing, shelters, and animal control and is now managing this directly.
• Dogs and cats are required to be licensed. We have a new dedicated Animal Control Officer that can help with nuisance complaints. The program resides with the police department. The Officer is Jennifer Madison at 425-577-7656. Email [email protected].

4.       Parks

• The dock at Marina Park will be closed for about 6 weeks while underwater repairs are made. More information can be found here.
• Edith Moulton Park will be closed until July for extensive renovations and improvements. More information can be found on the Edith Moulton Park webpage.

5.       Moss Bay's Neighborhood Safety Program projects and Matching Grant program

• Two projects have been submitted to the 2018 Neighborhood Safety Program: a crosswalk at Marina Park and improving a trail connecting the Cross Kirkland Corridor to 5th Ave/10th St. Aimee Voelz is participating in the grant process and will keep you updated.
• We had applied for a matching grant to install a sign at Marina Park. After working with the City’s Parks Department and getting bids from vendors, we unfortunately determined that the project isn’t feasible. However, we’ve learned that the City will eventually install a Marina Park sign on their own, within the next few years.

6.       Developer activity:

• SRM: the planned traffic signals on 6th Ave S and 9th and at Kirkland Way were paid for by SRM in 2014 but will be installed by the City. There were delays in part because the City needed to acquire private property to accommodate buses turning the corners at these intersections.
• At 3rd and Central where Wendy’s is located, a design has been submitted for 80 housing units and a 17,000 square foot Bartell’s.
• Park Lane apartments are anticipated 128 units and 13,000 square foot of commercial are anticipated being done in the Spring. We don’t know who the retailers will be yet.
• Aegis will go in the former Potala Village site – it has been approved in the design phase by the City.
• The Olympic building where the Christmas Store and Haute Dog store 40 townhome units and some commercial space.

7.       Sign Regulations

• The City has received many complaints about the existing sign code. A hearing will be held on January 11th at 7PM at City Hall to solicit feedback on amendments to the current code. You may also email comments to [email protected] (reference File No. CAM17-00419 and include your name, mailing address and email address).
• One proposed amendment is to allow A-frame signs and other temporary signs. You can read the existing Temporary Sign code here.

8.       Transportation Update

• a.       Bus route 255, our direct route to downtown Seattle, will eventually be routed to the UW station. This was originally planned for Fall 2018 but the route will remain as-is until at least March 2019.
• b.       City Council has added bus queue jumps on 6th and 108th to the unfunded Capital program. If funding is secured, this change would allow Northbound buses to bypass cars waiting at traffic lights so they aren’t delayed by congestion.

9.       KAN is meeting on Wednesday at City Hall and a key topic will be the sign ordinance.