To all-


We wanted to make sure to get the word out on a couple of things that are coming up next week.

Enjoy the weekend and stay safe.

Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

108th Avenue Closure (NE 52nd to NE 55th)

Kirkland’s contractor is closing on July 27 a short section of 108th Avenue Northeast for two weeks while its crews install the new sewer main.
 
Marshbank Construction will close the arterial between Northeast 52nd and 55th streets from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting Monday. In the afternoon, the contractor will close the center turn-lane from 4 p.m. to 7 a.m.  
 
Marshbank will provide access for local traffic between Northeast 55th and 60th streets. 
The detour will route commuters along Northeast 68th Street, Lakeview Drive and Northeast 38th Place.



More information can be found on the City's web page for the project 
http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Public_Works/Construction_Projects/108th_Avenue_Northeast_water_and_sewer_upgrade.htm

The map for the closure can be found here.
 http://www.kirklandwa.gov/Assets/Public+Works/Public+Works+PDFs/CIP/108TH-map-closure.pdf

The following link shows the detour route.
http://www.kirklandwa.gov/Assets/Public+Works/Public+Works+PDFs/CIP/108TH-map-detour.pdf


Community Survey (closes July 29)

The City has launched its online biennial Community Survey to gauge community attitudes about the quality of life in Kirkland, satisfaction with City government services, and priorities for the future. We’re really hoping to get robust participation in this survey.
 
Please take a moment to take the survey and send it out to your neighbors:
https://www.research.net/r/Community-Survey-Kirkland
 
As you may know, for over a decade, the City has conducted a version of this survey every two years as part of its budget process. A phone version of the community survey was recently administered to a statistically valid, random sample of Kirkland residents. The results from both the online survey and the phone survey will be presented to the City Council in the coming months. The results will inform the Council about the community’s sentiments on various issues in Kirkland in preparation for the Council’s adoption of their 2021-2022 biennial budget later this fall. 


The online survey will close at 12 pm on July 29, 2020. Results of past surveys can be found on the City’s website.

​To CHNA Distribution List-
 
Similar to many of Kirkland's neighborhood associations, CHNA does not typically meet during the summer months. However, there are several items that the City is moving forward with.that we wanted to inform you about.
 
These items include ongoing planning activities, transportation construction projects, and City code revision proposals.
 
The following provides a short summary of these activities; we also have included links to the City web sites where you can get more detailed information.
 
Please let us know if you have any questions, input on possible topics of interest, or if you would like to join the CHNA Board or assist CHNA in other ways. We can be reached at centralhoughton@gmail.com.
 
Please forward to others that may be interested. To be added (or removed) from our distribution list, please email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com.
 
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association
 
 
 
July 7 City Council Meeting Public Hearing - Affirming Black Lives Matter and Establishing a Framework for Kirkland Becoming a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community 

• City Council to Hold Public Hearing on a Draft Resolution Affirming Black Lives Matter and Establishing a Framework for Kirkland Becoming a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community 
  City Council Agenda and Packet can be found here - https://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/council/Meetings/Agendas/Agenda_070720.htm
  
  

Rooftop Amenities Code Revisions 

• Potentially allows increased height of buildings to allow for outside space and possible common rooms.
• Joint Public Hearing with the Planning Commission (PC) and Houghton Community Council (HCC) on February 13, 2020 
• HCC made its recommendations to PC on February 13, 2020
• PC reviewed HCC recommendations and made its recommendations to the City Council on February 27, 2020
  https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Assets/Planning/Planning+PDFs/Planning+Commission/Rooftop+Appurtenance+Amenities+2_27_20+PC+Packet+-+CAM19-00502.pdf
• City Council presentation at its June 16 meeting - packet https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Assets/City+Council/Council+Packets/061620/9g_Business.pdf
• City Council provided input /direction to staff to review options related to public amenities, addressing impacts to adjoining low density residential areas, and application based on building height 
• City Council Schedule lists the topic for City Council review (and possible action) at its June 21 meeting

• Following action by the City Council, the ordinance will return to the HCC at a future date for approval or disapproval within its jurisdiction
  
  

Survey Related to New City Website
 
The City of Kirkland is seeking input from the community to help guide the development of a new City website.
Community members are invited to take a short survey to share their experience with the current City website, and assist staff in developing a new City website that better meets the needs of the public.


City Traffic Cameras
 
The City of Kirkland is pleased to announce that City traffic cameras are now available to the public on the City website at https://trafficmap.kirklandwa.gov/.
Community members can visit the webpage and click a camera icon to display an image from the traffic camera at that location. Visitors to the page can then click on the image, or use the maximize window button at the top of the pop-up, to open a larger version of the image. The images are refreshed approximately every minute.
“We hope that this new feature on our website will be a helpful tool for community members looking to plan their trips to avoid traffic,” said Councilmember Jon Pascal. “We also believe that this will be a valuable tool for community members to check road conditions during winter storm events.”
The traffic map is currently live and available to the public at https://trafficmap.kirklandwa.gov/.
 
 
 
 
 
Phyllis Needy Park Crosswalk Flashing Beacon
 
Construction is well underway for the installation of a new flashing beacon at the crosswalk near Phyllis Needy Park (on 108th Avenue NE just north of NE 46th). This is a neighborhood safety project that CHNA has pursued for several years. It hopefully will be completed by the end of summer.


108th Avenue NE Water and Sewer Main Replacement Project
The City's contractor is well underway on this project to replace the 50plus year old sewer main (NE 53 to 68th) and water main (NE 60th to 68th).
If you have driven the corridor you have seen the construction and traffic control and flaggers. Please be safe and slow down as you approach and travel through the construction site.
The project will likely last until December, with possible repaving next spring.Project web site  can be found here:
http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Public_Works/Construction_Projects/108th_Avenue_Northeast_water_and_sewer_upgrade.htm



Safer Routes to School

• The City developed a potential list of pedestrian system improvements to improve safety and connectivity to schools throughout the City.
• City staff held a series of Zoom public meetings with each neighborhood association  throughout June.
• CHNA recommended adding a project on 111th Avenue NE near NE 48th Street
• The City also invited people to vote on their top three projects through the end of June.
• The city's web site for the project can be found here - https://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/Safer_Routes_to_School_Action_Plans.htm
• The map of projects is available through this link - https://kirklandwa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=925be3c9d0b5494cafeae6086a13ec07
• The results of the voting are being tabulated in July

• Final recommendations are tentatively scheduled to go before City Council in early August (check the agenda when it comes out).
  
  

Active Transportation Plan
The City of Kirkland is updating the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) based on the 2009 Active Transportation Plan (PDF 8MB) 
The plan update is being coordinated with the Safer Routes to School project. It will address pedestrians, bicycling, and access to transit and community centers.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting budget constraints, the Active Transportation Plan community engagement and recommendations will be put on hold while the city slowly reopens and recovers from budgetary constraints. The plan will seek to implement the proposed strategies and innovations and with that comes budget requests which will be unlikely to be approved at this moment in time. However, the City is still moving forward with opportunities to make it safer to walk and bike such as seeking grant funds to implement high-priority safety projects, completing Kirkland's first two neighborhood greenway projects and designing and building Kirkland's first protected bike lanes. ThC city also received funding for a third greenway project. Please stay tuned for more information about this planning effort.

Visit the City's web page for more information https://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Public_Works/Transportation_and_Traffic/Active_Transportation_Plan.htm