Moss Bay Meeting Notes - March 13, 2017

NORCOM – 911 Dispatch Information
 
Jeremy Henshaw, Acting Supervisor of NORCOM (North East King County Regional Public Safety Communication Agency), explained how the 911 dispatch system for police and fire departments operates. NORCOM answers both 911 and non-emergency numbers for Kirkland and other East King County cities. NORCOM answers both lines as 911, asking each caller if it is an emergency, and responds accordingly.
 
If you call from a landline, the contact information associated with the number is captured. Cellphone calls don’t automatically provide NORCOM with addresses, and they are trained to help quickly identify where to send help if you don’t know your precise location.
 
If you wish to remain anonymous, immediately tell NORCOM when you are connected. Once they ask your name, it becomes part of the record. They can make a note in the system that you want to be anonymous.
 
King County has some of the quickest response rates for medical emergencies. The survival rate for heart attacks is about 65% compared to other parts of the country with rates as low as 5%. Other agencies visit NORCOM for training due to their outstanding response times.
 
Jon Pascal – Newest City Council Member
 
John was appointed to the council to replace Shelley Kloba, who stepped down after her election to the state Legislature. His appointment lasts until the November 2017 elections, which he will participate in to keep his seat. He is Chair of the Public Works, Parks, and Human Services Commission.
 
John’s previous experience with the City includes serving as a transportation commissioner, a planning commissioner, as the Chair of the Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance, and on KAN’s board (Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods).
 
As a Council Member, his priorities include:

• Providing better transportation options, including roads, the CKC, and small neighborhood transportation projects.
• Investing in parks and public spaces. One example is increasing the availability of all-season sports fields.
• Enhancing public safety services. As Kirkland grows, houses that are built closer together increase the risk fires spreading from one dwelling to the next, and increasingly tall buildings present different challenges.  

 
Houghton Everest Neighborhood Center and 6th Street Corridor
 
Lisa McConnell provided information about Houghton and Everest plans and City zoning. In 2009, the Houghton neighborhood began updating their neighborhood plan, including the business center. Since both Houghton and Everest span the business district, they joined together to ensure consistency.
 
Currently the Neighborhood plan and Kirkland’s zoning for the area don’t match. Current City zoning only allows two stories for businesses. The neighborhood plan allows three to five stories. One of the largest factors is how to reconcile the two plans, but there are also many decisions that can be made during this process, including setbacks, design reviews, and density.
 
More information can be found on Kirkland’s webpage for the project. If you have feedback or questions, you are encouraged to attend a community Open House at 6pm on March 23, at City Hall. At 7pm, a joint Public Hearing will take place with the Planning Commission and Houghton Community Council.
 
Transit Plans
 
The Transit Route 255 in Kirkland (along with other Eastside routes) will stop at the UW station starting in the autumn of 2018 instead of going directly to downtown Seattle. There will be an Open House in Kirkland about changes to transit. March 28, 2017, 6 – 8pm at Kirkland City Hall. You can find out more and take an online survey on King County’s Metro website.
 
For the Love of Kirkland Projects
 
To sign up to participate in the community projects proposed at the For the Love of Kirkland event, visit http://www.kirklandkan.org/resources.html.
 
Matching Grant Volunteer Hours
 
Moss Bay is eligible for up to $3,266 in matching grant funds from the City, which we voted to put towards a sign at Marina Park. To earn the grant, we need to complete 138 volunteer hours.
 
Any hours Moss Bay residents volunteered since January 1, 2017 count, and we want to capture them all! Email contact@mossbay.org with your name, date and description of activity, and hours volunteered.
 
For future qualifying activities:

• Visit Kirkland’s Volunteer Opportunities webpage for projects that include parks and green spaces and public safety.
• Many of our favorite volunteer opportunities are sponsored by the Kirkland Downtown Association and include the Wednesday Market, Celebrate Kirkland 4th of July, Summerfest – and more.

 
Kirkland Senior Council and Resource Guide
 
Syd Mack told us about the Kirkland’s Senior Council, which meets monthly and advocates for senior residents. One of their activities is an Art Show for creative works by residents age 50 or better, which is hosted annually at Merrill Gardens.
 
The Senior Council publishes a guide with all types of resources seniors may need, including housing, medical, emergency information, legal resources, transportation and more. Physical copies of the guide can be picked up at PCC or made available to you upon request. An online version is continuously updated on the Senior Council website.