Attention Kirkland, Redmond and Woodinville: a 640 bed jail is planned for Kingsgate
UPDATE: The Seattle Channel has posted a video of the Public Meetings (links below).
Kingsgate is a finalist in a contest about which not many people will be proud: Kingsgate is a likely home of the County’s newest jail. The deal is not sealed as Kingsgate is one of only six sites in the running. The jail will surely be referred to as, “The Kirkland Jail”, if this location is the lucky one chosen. Note to Realtors: You may not want to emphasize proximity to the jail when you list Kirkland homes on the market.
Six Potential Jail Sites
The Kingsgate site is in Kirkland’s Potential Annexation Area (PAA), more specifically at 13225 N.E. 126th Place. [Site Map] If built, Kirkland will proudly stand with Kent as a regional holding pen for the rest of the county’s criminal population.
The reason this site may become a jail is that King County has too many criminals and not enough jail space in which to house them. The “demand” for jail beds in northeast King County is projected to continue to rise so the County needs a new jail. The projected cost of this facility is $174 million. Because of a growing number of felony inmates at the main county jail, the county plans to end jail contracts with the cities in four years, prompting the cities’ site search.
According to Kirkland City Councilmember Bob Sternoff, the size of the proposed jail is 640 beds which should accommodate the jail needs for the next twenty years. The Seattle Times, lists potential locations for the jail as:
- Unincorporated King County between Kirkland and Redmond: 13225 N.E. 126th Place
- Bellevue: 555 116th Ave. N.E.
- Shoreline: 2545 N.E. 200th St.
- Downtown Seattle: a new King County Jail Annex, southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Jefferson Street.
The North/East Cities Municipal Jail Planning’s Site Comparison Chart rates the Kingsgate site at 161 points — the highest rating of the 5 sites listed to be undergoing environmental review. The chart lists five potential jail sites on the Eastside — two in Kirkland and one in Kirkland’s PAA. The list seems to have been whittled down to four.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Cities will provide more information and seek feedback from the public on jail sites at several meetings in December. Each meeting will focus on a specific site. For more information on the sites, go to www.necmunicipaljail.org.
- Downtown Seattle site, Dec. 3: UPDATE: SEATTLE CHANNEL HAS VIDEO AVAILABLE OF THIS MEETING AT http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5590898
This meeting will focus on the proposed King County Jail Annex site at Fifth Avenue and Jefferson Street. 6 to 9 p.m. in the Bertha Knight Landes Room at Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave. - Unincorporated King County site, Dec. 10: UPDATE: SEATTLE CHANNEL HAS VIDEO AVAILABLE OF THIS MEETING AT http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=4255 6 to 9 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at The Hollywood Schoolhouse, 14810 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville.
- Shoreline site, Dec. 11: UPDATE: SEATTLE CHANNEL HAS VIDEO AVAILABLE OF THIS MEETING AT http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5590884 6 to 9 p.m. in the main dining room of the Pagoda Student Union Building, Shoreline Community College, 16101 Greenwood Ave. N., Shoreline.
- Bellevue site, Dec. 15: UPDATE: SEATTLE CHANNEL HAS VIDEO AVAILABLE OF THIS MEETING AT http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5590885 6 to 9 p.m. in Rooms 404 and 405 on Level 4 of The Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. Sixth St., Bellevue.
The public has been given less than two weeks notice prior to the first of the public meetings on jail sites. The short notice between yesterday’s announcement of the sites and the public meetings will obviously make it difficult for opposition groups to form.
Councilmember Sternoff, who has been the Kirkland City Council’s representative on jail issues said, “This is just the beginning of a long process.” Mr. Sternoff represents the City of Kirkland on the regional Jail Oversight Assembly Committee. He is also the Chair of the City’s Annexation and Public Safety Committees.
What is your view? Do you think Kingsgate is a good location for the jail? What issues are most important to you with regard to having a jail in Kingsgate?
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24 Responses to “Attention Kirkland, Redmond and Woodinville: a 640 bed jail is planned for Kingsgate”
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"Children's Walking Parade by KirklandViews.com"
Excellent article and graphics. I’ve linked your page to my site.
Thanks, Bob
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This is disturbing news. It feels like the County is sneaking this in and trying to get away without much public process because of the short notice (and its in the holidays too.) I can tell you having a jail nearby is no good. I lived near one in Kansas City. It brings in bad crop of people visiting their “friends” who are doing time. I don’t want this built here in Kirkland thats for sure.
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I think the article headline is misleading. I was concerned about this location after seeing this and read about the entire process. Nowhere can I find any language that would indicate that there is any plan to locate a jail specifically in this area. As I understand it, there is a process to evaluate this and the other sites. Clearly from what I can tell the odds on favorite is in Seattle next to the current jail. Is there something you know about this site that you are not telling us? If there is please provide it or change the Headline! My husband and I are contemplating building a new home in the area and am very interested in learning as much as we can. I will attend the meeting and give my opinion. For what it is worth I enjoy your blog.
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New2kirkland,
While I certainly was not trying to mislead anyone with this article, I was attempting to bring to light the process under which a jail site is being chosen. The Kingsgate location is rated as one of the preferred sites in the accompanying documents and the fact that it is in unincorporated King County is key in my view. In past discussions about jails, Bellevue has made it clear that the city process will be applied in full (as it should be). Kingsgate is in unincorporated King County and the County is desperate to solve this jail problem. I think it reasonable to presume a greater likelyhood of a Kingsgate location over a Bellevue location.
I am pleased you will attend the open house and I hope many more will too. Political pressure will be a factor in locating the jail.
Thank you for your comments.
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This is a bad place to put a jail. It will forever change kirkland/redmond. Think about the cities of Monroe, Kent and Walla Walla. The jails in those places don’t have positive public images. This will bring down house values and there will be no benefit to us who live in the shadow of it. Anyone thinking this is a good idea either is smoking something or they are protecting their own backyard from having a jail put there.
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please don’t put a jail here. i worked hard to live in a nice and safe place and i dont want a jail here.
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I think we build too many jails as it is and I certainly don’t think we want one as a gateway to the valley. Wineries and positive, tourism companies should go there instead of a jail. Nothing good will come of a jail only more crime and less quality of life. Leave the jails in Seattle.
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I don’t see what is the fuss about. We need jails and they have to go someplace. The graphic looks like a radiation fallout map. All this will be is a big building on a street where no one lives.
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Sarah Reply:
November 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
On a street where no one lives? Are you kidding me? There are plenty of people who live along this street! There is a children’s park (recently redone) within a block or two of this proposed Kingsgate site. I take my child there frequently and would hate the thought of a jail ruining this special place for hundreds of children. Furthermore, a block north of this park is an elementary school on one side of the street and the junior high on the other side of the street. Two churches also exist on the corners intersecting with the park. How can King County in their right mind locate a jail within blocks of all of this? Oh, let’s see, what else? Longtime established neighborhoods such as Kingsgate and Education Hill are located within 2 miles of this proposed site with more children and parks all around. There is the South 47 Farm just down 124th where we take our children to frequently and many schools do field trips and outings there. What are they going to do to ensure the safety of all these places where children frequent? Moreover, there is the natural, implied “feeling” of safety that will be wiped away for not only children, but also parents such as myself.
Please everyone go on December 10th and firmly express your disapproval of this site!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ron Reply:
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
My kids go to school a quarter mile up the hill from there.The idiots that want put a jail there need there heads examined.
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I just learned about the prison from reading the Redmond Blog. I always thought jails would be built in Seattle and not a mile from where I work! I will be there on the 10th and tell them to keep their prison far away from here. I drive past this road twice every day. All of the offices and car dealerships next door to it will pack up and leave. Who would want to shop for a new Dodge or Toyota knowing you are under the watchful eye of 600 criminals with nothing to do but look out the window and see who can afford a new car?
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Thank you for being on top of this. The concept of locating a jail in the tiny community of Kingsgate that will be primarily used to house thousands of misdeamenents (450 0f the 650 beds are for the city of Seattle) arrested in the City of Seattle is wrong on so many levels. Let me be perfectly clear. As a resident of Kinsgate I am perfectly willing to house the people arrested in our area. However, I am adamantly opposed to taking the responsibility of housing people arrested in Seattle. These people would be charged in Seattle and brought to Kingsgate to be jailed or held pending court trial. Depending on whether or not charges can be made to stick, (as in charges related to drug “possession” vs selling) they would shortly or eventually released right into the middle of our community. They would be around the cornor from 132nd Square and its small children playground, a short walk to John Muir Elementary school and the Jr. Highschool across the street. The surrounding communities of Woodenville, Redmond and Kirkland are within the easiest reach with NO services for those in need.
Who are the people likely to be released into our community? Misdemeanors include domestic violence (this includes a broad deinition of “domestic” and basically comes down to violent offenders fighting with anybody they might know. Weapons used would determine misdemeanors vs felonies.). People accused of sexual crimes are charged with misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors. Could be indecent exposure or some form of stalking. Others include , driving drunk, , assault,(depending on if or what weapons are involved)domestic or non domestic violence * theft, commercial or residential, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of drugs (as opposed to actually selling them, driving under the influence of alchohol or drugs, reckless driving * driving with license suspended. Certain prostitution crimes are misdemeanors and others are felonies. As with most states, there are sentence guidlines, however,
extenuating circumstances such as weapons, locations, drug
involvement, past criminal history, and juvenille status , can have an
effect on decision and the sentence. Bill HB2728, which failed to pass, would have required sex offender registration for misdemeanor
and gross misdemeanor-level indecent exposure when there has been finding of sexual motivation.
These are the people a jail will bring to our community. Please go to the meeting at Hollywood schoolhouse on December 10th at 6 pm.
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George Reply:
December 4th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
If seventy per-cent of the demand for jail originates in Seattle then that is where the jail should be. All Eastside people should ban together to oppose any jail on the Eastside to make sure they put it in Seattle. Is Kirkland that much better off to have the jail just to the south in Bellevue or to the north in Kingsgate? Seattle is where it belongs and Bellevue and Kirkland should join together to fight this. Together we will be stronger than fighting each other as Seattle enjoys watching the bickering over who will hold there criminals.
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I share much of the same sentiment. I do want to point out that even though this directly doesn’t pertain to annexation since it is a regional jail housing people from throughout the area, it does indicate the lack of control that the City of Kirkland has on issues like this. What direct recourse do residents in the City of Kirkland have vs if this area was a part of the City. This also true on all of the traffic that comes through Kirkland from the PAA. There is something to be said about controlling the destiny of that area.
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Certainly the people of the East Side cities of Kirkland, Bellevue Redmond and unincorporated King County will have a stronger input if there is subsatantial concern and comment. It is important to make sure as many people as possible are made aware of the plan. to site the jail in our community. Since the media briefing was held on November 20th, very little time was allowed for people to become aware and find out as many facts as possible. Having spent several days researching, I realize that it is not easy to get all the needed information. I suggest that people check out the following: :Videotape of and transcribed written comments from the Dec. 3 public forum are now available on the NEC Municipal Jail Planning Web site:
http://www.necmunicipaljail.org/feedback_12-3-08_public_forum.htm
Clearly people are not in favor of the jail as planned. It is important to attend the meeting at Hollywood Schoolhouse of December 10th at 6 P.M.
The exact address is on http://www.necmunicipaljail.org
WHAT HAPPENS IN SEATTLE SHOULD STAY IN SEATTLE.
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Gee, I didn’t know all the criminals came from Seattle. Fact is that they come from all over King County. Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and your beloved Kingsgate are not exempt. And if you read the material carefully the number of beds does not include mental and physically challenged people. I would be more fearful that Seatle says to heck with this regional jail deal keeps their money and the Eastside has to build it’s own jail. What then?
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Katherine McLean Reply:
December 7th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
John. No one is saying that Kingsgate is exempt. Cities are by law, responsible for people arrested in their cities. Well, WE ARE NOT A CITY. WE ARE ONLY A COMMUNITY IN KING COUNTY. What we are saying is that we are in no way responsible to be the jail for 23 SURROUNDING CITIES. Seattle alone wants us to take on 440 beds just for THEIR arrestees. Unincorporated King County has been rejected by Kirkland for annexation. It would be completely UNFAIR for Kirkland to now expect us to take on their responsibilities for their jail population would it not??
We are by comparison a tiny community and WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A POLICE FORCE.! This will be a ‘catch and release” situation. Catch them in Seattle or other cities and release them in our community. UNACCEPTABLE!!!
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The Seattle Channel has posted a video of the Dec. 3, 2008 Public Meeting at http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5590898
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I am so upset about this I could scream….I just bought a home in Kingsgate to run my daycare from….had I known about this jail purposal…I would certainly have bought a home elsewhere …where I felt safe….not only for myself but for the children in my care……I too will be at the meeting……
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Please dont build the jail in Kirkland. Nobody would be like to see a jail in their neighborhood. City image will detoriate, house value will go down further. Big companies like Google is coming to the city. Please do not build the jail in Kirkland.
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I just got through playing the NEC forum that Katherine McLean linked to in her post. I wasn’t watching it closely by any means, but I can say what the bulk of the recording contained.
It started with a brief introduction about why the jail is needed, what jails do and don’t do to communities where they are located. Thereafter, the meeting was devoted to comments from the audience, some refuting claims from the NEC speakers, but most of them erpeating one message: We don’t want a jail in our neighborhood. The perponderance of the people speaking were from Seattle’s Highland Park Neighborhood, which I believe is a part of West Seattle near Delridge. I didn’t notice anyone from the Eastside speak, though I could have missed someone. The leader did mention officials who attended the session, and Kirkland Police chief was named.
I expect we’ll have some more comments in this thread after tonight’s Woodinville session.
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I’m sure we are all reeling from the meeting in Woodinville on Wednesday night. Many people were clearly disturbed by the plan to place a huge jail in our midst that would benefit the surrounding cities and especially the City of Seattle, but will destroy our neighborhoods. Fortunately they stood up and said so. They voiced concerns about safety, about the fact that most inmates would have previous or pending serious felony convictions. The spoke about the lack of bus transportation for all of these inmates to be released on to our streets, about how released inmates will have to somehow get through our neighborhoods to get to the bus hub at 405 and 120thSt.,,,,IN KIRKLAND! They pointed out that home values would be destroyed. (NEC claimed otherwise but had no real information). People pointed out that Kirkland, Kingsgate, Totem Lake and Woodinville will become identified with the JAIL. Has anyone ever heard of Ossining New York? Compared to how well Sing Sing Prison is known? Get my drift?
The room was packed with standing room only. Almost everyone was from Unincorporated King County, Kingsgate/TotemLake.
Strangely, very few Kirkland residents or businesses were there, although as far as I could tell, all officials and elected representatives present were from Kirkland. Go figure!! One wonders if this lack of awareness in Kirkland can be attributed to a ridiculously short time line( Nov. 20th to Dec. 10th ), very little press coverage, and limited opportunities for public comment. Is it a cynical attempt to push on with the plan while people are busy with a disintegrating economy, business failures, jobs lost, a housing crisis, foreclosures, and maybe a little Christmas for the kids? How are people expected to have time or “band width” to cope with the implications of this disastrous Jail Plan?.
Still, people were there all standing up for their homes, schools, businesses, parks, playgrounds and streets where our kids walk every day. They had one voice when they vowed NO JAIL.
At the meeting I sought out several of the NEC officials and was truly shocked by their comments to me. I asked them to point out a representative from King County. They looked blank and seemed unable to understand why I was asking this. They told me that there were people from Kirkland City Council that I could talk to. I pointed out that WE ARE NOT PART OF KIRKLAND. Again, blank stares. Some time later it was announced that Kathy Lambert (one of the King County elected Council Members.) had arrived at the meeting!!! Whew!!
I asked to be directed to the Sheriff. The WHO? I was directed to the several Kirkland Police who were at the meeting to answer questions. I pointed out that Kirkland Police did not cover Unincorporated King County and that the King County Sheriff’s department “served” Unincorporated King County as well as the entire county. So, again, where was the Sheriff? No idea.
I pointed out AGAIN that Kingsgate/Totem Lake HAD NO POLICE FORCE. THIS SEEMED TO BE NEWS TO THEM AND THEY SEEMED A LITTLE IRRITATED THAT I WAS PRESSING THE POINT. Again, they directed me to the Kirkland Police.! I gave up.
I hope that Kirkland residents and businesses are getting the idea that this impacts them as much as us. As many people pointed out, the neighborhoods of North Rose Hill, the businesses all along NE124thSt, , the mall along 124th Ave. NE where the fast food outlets are, the Evergereen Hospital area, to name just a few of the most vulnerable areas. These people need to speak out.too. Woodinville should be considering the impact of this huge jail on the adjacent wine country. Are people going to drive through a high crime area along 124th St to get there? These are tourist dollars that will not be coming Woodinville’s way.
The meeting concluded after spokes persons from each round table had voiced their concerns and had done their best to tell the NEC that we are not simply going to accept their plan.
I am sure that Kirkland/Totem lake and all of unincorparated King County neighborhoods, including Juanita and Finn Hill, IF ASKED, will do their part in the development of safe and humane facilities for our jailed misdemeanants. The idea of a single HUGE jail placed in a small residential community anywhere amounts to blunt violence committed on a community and is simlply not going to be accepted.. C’mon Kirkland, Woodinville Redmond, we all need to keep on telling them. Many of you may think that it is a better idea to shovel all the problems under one 640 bed roof in Kingsgate/Totem Lake just to save a few bucks. But we are here to tell you that it will be a disaster impacting everyone.
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Rob Butcher Reply:
December 12th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Hi Katherine,
Thank you for your recap of the jail meeting. I was one of those with a prior commitment which I could not change, so I was unable to attend. I agree wholeheartedly that the timing, location, and short notice of these meetings is, if not by design, an advantageous situation for those in the hot seat (The first of the public meetings was scheduled December 3rd in Seattle — a mere 13 days notice).
I also concur with your assessment of the potential impacts a jail will have on the community. This issue will affect us all – Unincorporated King County, Kirkland, Woodinville and Redmond. Those living closest will take the brunt of the negative effects and it just so happens that they are the least represented. That does not seem the least bit fair and we all need to marshal our resources oppose this jail in our community.
This issue needs more awareness and more involvement by all of the parties you have mentioned. To be sure, the residents of the five other neighborhoods which are on the jail short list are organizing in opposition to the jail. If we do not do the same it is at our own peril. Politics always plays a hand in decisions of this magnitude. Big cities like Bellevue will press hard for the Kingsgate location over their own.
This issue is too important to trust that it will just work out for the best. I share your sense of urgency that our greater community needs to oppose this planned jail.
Thank you for your comments.
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Video of the Potential Unincorporated King County Municipal Jail Site has been posted online for those who could not attend. Video from the Shoreline Public Meeting is also available.
I received this email from last night informing us of the update:
From:
Date: December 13, 2008 10:31:06 PM PST
To:
Subject: Materials and video from last week’s NEC Municipal Jail public forums now online
Shoreline Site
http://www.necmunicipaljail.org/feedback_12-11-08_public_forum.htm
Unincorporated King County Site
http://www.necmunicipaljail.org/feedback_12-10-08_public_forum.htm
Our final public forum focuses on the Bellevue site and is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15, 2008, 6 to 9 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Formal program begins at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Level 4, Rooms 404 and 405 of The Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. Sixth St., Bellevue
Everyone is welcome to attend this forum and provide comments regarding this site or any/all of the other sites.
Links to the videos at the Seattle Channel have been added to the article above.
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