The notes from our March 8, 2022, regular meeting are provided below. We covered a lot of current and ongoing topics including the Sunsetting of the Houghton Community Council, the La Quinta Inn homeless housing proposal. We also reported on the proposed mailer and 2022 Celebration Event.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday May10. We will be electing Board members and also discussing proposed changes to our Bylaws to engage younger residents in the neighborhood association.

Please contact us at centralhoughton@gmail.com if you have any questions, ideas for meeting topics, or want to find out more on how you can get involved.

Larry Toedtli, president
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

To all-
​
Thanks to all of the people that attended our meeting last week. some really good discussion on several topics.

A focus was on the proposed legislation moving forward at the state to sunset the Houghton community council (and East Bellevue Community Council).  We discussed how people can track the bill and provide comments. This information and web links are summarized in the meeting notes. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com. 

We also discussed current activities related to our 2021-2022 Matching Grant. If you would like to assist on any of these, please contact us (centralhoughton@gmail.com).

At the end of the meeting, we also discussed possible changes to our Bylaws to allow high school students to be members. We also noted a need for more people to assist CHNA as Board members or volunteers.

Sincerely

Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

​To all-

Here are the notes from the November 9, 2021 meeting of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday January 11 via Zoom (starting at 7:00 pm). Please let us know if you have ideas for meeting topics.

We are also setting up a brainstorming session to explore options for a Celebration/Event next summer to (hopefully) celebrate the return to a new Post Covid normal and to re-introduce CHNA to our community members.
At that same meeting we also will be brainstorming ideas for a way to create a Sense of Place or Historical Marker for our Central Houghton neighborhood. As an example, the Everest neighborhood just installed a Train Depot along the Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail.

Please let us know (centralhoughton@gmail.com) if you have any ideas and if you would like to participate in a brainstorming session. I promise, your participation in the brainstorming session will NOT commit you to helping with implementation (although that would also be great).    

​To All:

The agenda for the virtual meeting of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association is attached. The Zoom link is provided below. Please forward to others that may be interested.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87861398908?pwd=YkNMVjdFK0IrV09DTWxLdStSNnoxdz09

Meeting ID: 878 6139 8908
Passcode: 438624
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,87861398908#,,,,*438624# US (Tacoma)


We are excited to have a presentation from  the City on the upcoming remodel of Fire Station 22, including the use of a temporary station during construction.

We hope to have a member of the Kirkland Parks Board also join us so we can hear what is happening related to Parks and so we can share our comments to take back to the Board.
You can provide your input through the City's current Park's survey which closes November 11.
Kirkland Comprehensive Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan Survey (rrcresearch.com)

The other major topic for discussion is the selection of CHNA's project for the 2022 Neighborhood Safety Program (NSP). 

We also will have additional information on a few ongoing topics of interest to the neighborhood.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

CHNA Members (and neighbors):

The notes from our October 12, 2021 virtual meeting are attached. We had some very good presentations and discussions. 

Hope that you will join us at our next meeting scheduled for Tuesday November 9 at 7:00 PM. The November 9 meeting also will be virtual via Zoom. 
The agenda and meeting link will be sent out about a week in advance of the meeting. We will be finalizing the decision on our submission for the 2022 Neighborhood Safety Program, which is due December 3. We also should have a member of the Parks Board in attendance to update us on what's happening with Parks and Open Space Plans and projects. 
Please let us know if you have any topics that you would like to be added to the agenda.(email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com).

We also want to alert you to the following online engagement event related to the Active Transportation Plan update. 
​
Active Transportation Plan Engagement Event!
 
Do you have ideas on how the City of Kirkland can become safer and more accommodating to people walking, rolling and bicycling? Please make sure your voice is heard by attending our online engagement event 6 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 20! All are welcome at this community meeting, which will be used to gather feedback and inform our process as we work to update our Active Transportation Plan. 
 
The update to this plan will focus on completing connections, seeking opportunities and innovative solutions to create more comfortable and safer environments for people walking and rolling, and will consider technologies that can both facilitate travel by walking and bicycling and also help the city better evaluate how many people are walking and bicycling in Kirkland.
 
For more information on the Active Transportation Plan update, please visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Transportation/Plans-and-Studies-Transportation-Division/Active-Transportation-Plan. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to submit an online comment, please use this form: https://us.openforms.com/Form/37c47062-166e-421a-94ad-ef1b830415a7 or continue to check out or website for next opportunity to share your thoughts.  Another on-line engagement opportunity will also be scheduled for November 3rd.
 
We hope to see you there and we are excited to hear your ideas!

Thanks

Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

​To all-
 
I hope the summer has treated you well and you've enjoyed the range of summer weather. I know I spent a lot of time outdoors and truly enjoyed it.
 
Schools are back in session (please drive safely and obey the school zone speed limits), so it must be fall and therefore, it's time to get reenergized about our community.
 
Due to travel conflicts, CHNA will NOT be holding a virtual meeting on Tuesday September 14 - we have postponed the meeting until Tuesday October 12 at 7:00 pm (Via Zoom). 
I will send out an agenda and Zoom link  in advance of that date.
 
In the meantime, I want to provide you with information on new topics and some updates on continuing activities that can impact our neighborhood and City at large.
 

ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 2

There is still time to register to vote or update your address or other information. Please take advantage of this opportunity to shape our community.
Here is the link King County Elections Home Page - King County

- Four Kirkland City Council positions are on the ballot.

- Continuance of the Houghton Community Council (HCC) is on the ballot, as are all 7 HCC councilmembers (who will be elected if the continuance is approved).

- Other regional and local positions and ballot issues also will be on the ballot.


NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY PROGRAM - 2022 PROJECT IDEAS

Each year the City allocates up to $350,000 available for the Neighborhood Safety Program. Neighborhood Safety Program – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov)

Individual projects can receive up to $50,000. Projects fall into the following categories:

• Bicycle facility: Bike lanes or trails.
• Crosswalks: New crosswalks, improved crosswalk ramps (ADA), crosswalk islands, and rapid flashing beacons.
• Intersection Improvement: Signage, parking, and pedestrian “bump outs.”
• Walkway/Sidewalk and Trail: Gravel trails, steps, curb, traffic delineators, and sidewalks.
• Street Lights: On existing utility poles or installing a light new pole.

Projects are restricted to City property, including streets, parks, community facilities, and the Cross Kirkland Corridor.
Concerns related to traffic calming, cut-through traffic, and sight distance require data collection and a separate public outreach process before traffic calming devices can be selected and implemented.  Traffic calming devices include traffic islands, speed cushions, pedestrian “bump outs”, signage, and speed radar signs.  Once they have been through this other process and traffic calming changes have been approved, the project will then be eligible to compete for funding through the Neighborhood Safety Program.

Project ideas from each neighborhood are due to the City on December 3. CHNA will be discussing candidate projects in our neighborhood for our application starting at our October 12 meeting and will select projects to submit to the City at our November 9 meeting. Please send us  your ideas for potential projects via centralhoughton@gmail.com and then join us on October 12 to start the discussion for our neighborhood safety project application.

NORTHEAST RECYCLING AND TRANSFER STATION (NERTS) SITING (Replacement of Houghton Transfer Station)

In 2020, King County's Solid Waste Division started a process for siting a new recycling and transfer station in Northeast King County to replace the aging and limited Houghton Transfer Station in Kirkland, which has been operating since the mid-1960s.On August 9th, a second possible site in Woodinville for the new facility was presented to the Siting Advisory Group (SAG). The second Woodinville site is just south of the first site, located on SR 202 about a mile north of the Ste. Michelle Winery.

One of the two Woodinville sites will be carried forward to a formal environmental review, along with two sites in Kirkland. The two Kirkland sites include the existing Houghton Transfer Station (HTS) site (NE 60th east of 116th Avenue NE) and the Houghton Park and Ride lot (NE 70th at 116th Avenue NE). Scoping for the environmental review is scheduled to start in late fall 2021. The environmental documents should be available for public review and comment in 2022.

While the Kirkland sites are not within CHNA's boundaries, the Kirkland sites are immediately to the east of I-405 and could affect traffic, non-motorized travel, land uses, and other elements of the natural and built environment. Accessibility to a transfer station in Northeast King County also will be affected based on which site is ultimately selected. 

If you want more information on the siting process and/or environmental review, please see King County's web site - Northeast Recycling & Transfer Station project - King County.

You can use this link to sign up to get notices of meetings and availability of documents on the project - King County, WA (govdelivery.com)


NE 85th STREET STATION AREA PLAN

The City has been considering modifying the land use plan and building heights allowed in the vicinity of the I-405/NE 85th Street Interchange and along NE 85th Street east and west of the interchange. While not directly in our neighborhood, decisions of this scale will affect every neighborhood in the City and the overall look and feel of Kirkland.

The City issued a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Study (Draft SEIS) in January 2021. The plan is being developed to take advantage of the Sound Transit's Bus Rapid Transit Line on I-405 approved by the voters as part of ST3.Based on significant public input, the City is conducting additional studies related to transportation and the fiscal impacts /community benefits of possible land use changes.

From the City's web site - "The Fiscal Impacts and Community Benefits Study will help us set priorities together- and take a practical approach to maximizing community benefits and the regional transit investment in the Bus Rapid Transit station for years to come. The study will use a range of alternatives narrowed from those in the Draft SEIS. What we learn from the study will help set a preferred direction for the Station Area Plan."

The City's public meeting calendar (Public Meeting Calendar – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov)) shows the City Council being updated on the Fiscal impacts/Community Benefits Study at its October 26 meeting.

For more information please see NE 85th Street Station Area Plan – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov)


TECH CITY BOWL REZONE (Bridle Trails Shopping Center) REZONE

The owners of the Tech City bowling alley site have applied to the City of Kirkland for a rezone of the property to allow more extensive development. No information has been provided on specific uses, including if the bowling alley use will be continued. After some initial presentations to the City's Planning Commission in 2020 and earlier in 2021, the project is tentatively scheduled for the October 14 Planning Commission agenda. The agenda and meeting packet for Planning commission meetings are typically posted about one week in advance of their meeting.

Here is the link to the project applicant's web site: Tech City Bowl Rezone Project (tcbrezone.com)


TREE CODE

In June 2018, the City kicked off a process to update the Tree Code (Title 95 of the City Code). After significant discussion, the amendment process was put on hold at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In May 2021, the update process was re-initiated. As part of restarting the code amendment process, City staff have been working with City Council on defining the big picture objectives and framework for the amended code. These include discussions on tree retention and replanting requirements with property development within the City. The code amendment also will address what property owners can and cannot do with trees without any redevelopment of a parcel.

The results of the code amendment may result in more or less flexibility for property owners and /or developers. in addition it will define what level and options for "mitigation" are required under various scenarios. This will affect all of us - either where we live or on adjacent properties.

The City Council is tentatively scheduled to get briefed on and discuss the Tree Code at its meeting on Tuesday October 5. The agenda is typically available on the Friday before the Tuesday meeting.

The City's web page for the TREE CODE AMENDMENT can be accessed using this link - Tree Code Amendments – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov)
          

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
 
The City of Kirkland is updating the Active Transportation Plan adopted in 2009. Active Transportation Plan – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov)

The first three goals of the Transportation Master Plan:
T-0 Safety: By 2035 eliminate all transportation related fatal and serious injury crashes in Kirkland.
T-1 Walking: Complete a safe network of sidewalks, trails and crosswalks where walking is comfortable and the first choice for many trips.
T-2 Biking: Interconnect bicycle facilities that are safe, nearby, easy to use and popular with people of all ages and abilities.
The update to this plan will incorporate new innovative solutions that are designed to accommodate people of all ages and abilities for residents and visitors to feel more comfortable when choosing to walk or bike. It will also focus on completing connections, improving bike parking and considering technologies that can both facilitate travel by walking and bicycling and also to help the city better evaluate how many people are walking and bicycling in Kirkland. 

The City will be providing opportunities for the public to engage in the update. CHNA will send out information on how you can participate in the future.

CHNA BROCHURE AND MAILER and OTHER UPCOMING PROJECTS

As part of the 2021/2022 City Matching Grant Program, CHNA is developing a brochure/mailer to send to all addresses within our neighborhood boundaries. The intent of the brochure/mailer is to increase awareness of CHNA and opportunities for enhancing our community. We hope to re-engage people that have been in the neighborhood for a while as well as a way to welcome new residents and businesses that may not be aware of what we can do. 

We have a really good start for a mailer thanks to Hanna Christerson's input and design suggestions. We will likely finalize it later this year for mailing in the first quarter next spring.

We are always looking for additional support for this effort and the other matching grant projects. The other projects that we have received grant funds from the City's Matching Grant Program include:

- Post Covid Pandemic Celebration in 2022 to Reconnect In Person
- Developing Possible Ideas for Historical Markers or Other Ways to Identify the Central Houghton Neighborhood of Kirkland.

Please let us know at centralhoughton@gmail.com if you have ideas for these efforts and interest in assisting on any of them.

We have openings for Board positions - Vice President and Treasurer. We would love to have input and ideas from a wider range of people involved in CHNA. We want to be a great resource for our neighborhood to help address specific issues or concerns. We also want to find new ways to inform our neighbors of upcoming activities and how you can get involved.  We are always looking for new ideas for projects or activities that will help make our neighborhood and community a better place.

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments on these topics. Also let us know if you have ideas for topics for future meetings or want to talk about getting involved with CHNA. You can reach us at centralhoughton@gmail.com.
 
Thank you and hope to see you at our October 12 Zoom meeting.
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

The notes from the May 11, 2021 meeting of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association are provided below. 

As noted at the meeting, the Houghton Community Council (HCC) recently approved Resolution 2021-3 to put the continuance of the Houghton community municipal corporation to a vote of the people that reside within the boundaries of the former Town of Houghton. Every four years, Houghton residents are asked to vote on whether the HCC remains part of our government process. 

The Community Council, which is part of Kirkland’s city government, resulted from an agreement made in 1968 when the voters of the former Town of Houghton agreed to consolidate with the City of Kirkland. One of the conditions of the consolidation was that Houghton retain a council with land use jurisdiction applying within the HCC boundaries. The Community Council has approval or disapproval (veto) authority over the Kirkland City Council decisions on certain types of land use decisions within the corporation boundaries. These include comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, conditional use permits, subdivision ordinances, subdivision plats, and planned unit developments. 

The November ballot also will include elections for seven Councilmember positions, who will serve four-year terms if the continuance of the HCC is approved. If you are a resident within the HCC boundaries (see map), you can file to run for one of these Council positions. The filing period runs from May 17 to 21. King County has produced an elections Manual with the necessary information on filing, including dates and forms. The Manual and other election information can be accessed here. More information on the HCC can be found on the City’s web site - Houghton Community Council. 


We also have open Board positions which we would love to fill to help bring more ideas to the Association on how to improve our role in informing the community and hopefully making Central Houghton and all of Kirkland a better place for all.

If you are interested in a Board position, volunteering to help on our grant projects, or have any other questions or comments, please email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com.


Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

Welcome to spring!
 
The notes from our March 9, 2021 meeting of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association are provided below. The notes include links to several project and program web sites related to the meeting topics.
 
In addition, we wanted to share a couple of information items that came out after our March 9 meeting. These include a City survey on the ways the City shares information with the community. The second item provides information on actions taken by the Houghton Community Council, related to a November vote on continuing the Community Council.
 
Thank you. if you have any questions or comments, please email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com
 
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association
 
 
 
City Survey
 
We Want to Hear From You!​
We need your help in becoming a more transparent government! The City of Kirkland is creating new ways to share information with the community about how the City as an organization is performing. Please take our survey here.
This is part of a larger effort of ensuring the safety and respect of Black people and examining and dismantling structural racism in Kirkland. For more information on that effort, please visit the City’s website.
Esta es una encuesta para saber cómo debería comunicarse la ciudad de Kirkland con la comunidad en cuanto a la seguridad pública, recursos humanos y servicios humanos. Si quiere esta información traducida, mande un correo electrónico a TitleVICoordinator@kirklandwa.gov o llame al 425-587-3831.

本问卷调查旨在研究柯克兰市应如何就公共安全、人力资源和公众服务等事宜与社区民众进行沟通。如需该信息的翻译版本，请发送电子邮件至 TitleVICoordinator@kirklandwa.gov 或致电 425-587-3831。

В этом опросе спрашивается о том, как властям City of Kirkland стоит доносить до жителей информацию об общественной безопасности, социальном обслуживании и обеспечении. Если вы хотите получить перевод этой информации, напишите по адресу электронной почты TitleVICoordinator@kirklandwa.gov или позвоните по номеру 425-587-3831.
 
 
Houghton Community Council Action
 
At the March 22 meeting of the Houghton Community Council (HCC), the HCC approved Resolution 2021-3 relating to the continuance of the Houghton Community Council. 
Approval of the Resolution will put the continuance of the Community Council for four more years (starting January 1, 2022) to a vote of the people that reside within the HCC boundaries.
Along with the vote on whether to continue or not continue the Houghton Community Council, the November ballot will include elections for seven Houghton Community Councilmember positions who will serve for the four year term if the continuance of the HCC is approved by voters. If you are a resident within the HCC boundaries (see map) you can file to run for one of these Council positions. King County has produced an elections Manual with the necessary information on filing, including dates and forms. The Manual can be accessed here.
 
More information on the Houghton Community Council can be found on the City of Kirkland web site - Houghton Community Council.
 
 
 
 

​To All-
 
The notes from the January 12 Central Houghton Neighborhood Association (CHNA) meeting are attached below. We covered several timely topics at the meeting.
The notes include links to several websites about current projects, such as the Tech City Bowl and NE 85th Station Area Plan.
 
In addition to the meeting notes, we want to alert you to two projects where you can provide input on major current planning and development projects.
 
NE 85th Street Station Area Plan
The City of Kirkland is studying potential changes to the land use designations and zoning along the NE 85th Street corridor. This has the potential to greatly change the heights of buildings and the intensity and type of allowed development. The city has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Comments on the project and DEIS can be made through February 19. The DEIS and instructions for submitting comments can be found on the City's project webpage. NE 85th Station Area Plan
 
 
Northeast King County Recycling & Transfer Station



King County is leading a site selection process for the new Northeast King County Recycling & Transfer Station. The results of this project will either close and relocate the existing Houghton Transfer Station, or result in revising/upgrading the existing site on NE 60th Street. Over the last several months, King County has considered a long list of potential sites for the new station. This winter, they narrowed the list to four sites. These potential sites will be evaluated using community criteria developed by an Siting Advisory Group and other technical measures.
 
They are asking for community input and knowledge on each of the four sites. Input on what is most important to the community is also being solicited. Community members are able to view each site and share their thoughts by taking a short survey, open through February 9. 
King County Project web page  - https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/facilities/northeast.aspx
 
Please email us at centralhoughton@gmail.com with any questions, comments, and ideas for future meeting topics.
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association