Dear Editor: I would like to draw citizen of Kirkland attention to the greater intensity of Alternative(s) proposed in Potala EIS (Lake Washington Blvd) vs. Federally Subsidized, Seattle Housing Authority’s Yesler Terrace on southern slope of First Hill. Range of built alternatives Potala Only 1 built alternative evaluated by EIS: 118/acre and 80-85% lot coverage [...]
Archive | Opinion RSS feed for this section
LETTER | Parking for our parks
Editor: It’s Sunday, but it isn’t even summer yet. Here’s a photo of what the parking situation looks like on NE 62nd Street near Houghton Beach Park. This is an observation, not a complaint. Lots of cars use side streets to access our beaches on sunny days. I’m not sure what it’s like around 10th Avenue [...]
LETTER | Thumbs Up / Down on Unlimited Density and Intensive Development
Dear Editor: The decisions that will be made by the City Council this Tuesday night are commercial designation specific zoning decisions not project specific. One of the sites, however, is where a developer wants to build an ULTRA high density apartment plus commercial use project that has been called Potala Village or Kirkland Aqua. Many readers [...]
LETTER | King County Councilmembers Should Not Condone Criminal Activity
Dear Editor: It’s a felony if someone who files a tax return uses a false SS number for employment. That person becomes a criminal. If it’s someone other than an illegal or legal alien, they are normally prosecuted. Not so with aliens. Citizenship should be determined. Fingerprint records need to be sent to the FBI to [...]
LETTER | Potala Project
Dear Editor: Comes now the Potala project on Lake St S., a fancy new building with with 143 condo units and 2 underground parking floors for 316 stalls. Consider the advantages of this proposal. Commuters and residents will be able to see this building up-close on their splendid 30 t0 40 minute drive from Carillon [...]
Juanita Waxing and Waning — new board elected at contentious annual meeting
Walking along the shore of Juanita Beach Park, one cannot miss the telltale signs of economic development a mere hundred yards away — construction cranes stretching to the sky. Below them are a couple of packed coffee shops, a handful of restaurants and retailers and hundreds of multifamily units. As one of the few bustling [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids — Colors
We’re all anxiously awaiting the warmer weather and vibrant colors of spring here in the Pacific Northwest. It may be a while before it arrives, but you don’t have to wait for spring to bring a little color into your life! Check out these great children’s books about colors, perfect for a rainy Kirkland day. [...]
LETTER | Kirkland City Council Extends Moratorium
By a unanimous vote, the Council decided to extend the BN zoning moratorium vote another 6 months. The attorneys representing the applicant for an unlimited land use density said the City was illegal to continue the moratorium because there was no reason to continue it. They were wrong. There were more than two dozen citizens in [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids — The Little Mermaid Inspiration
Today’s picks are inspired by Studio East/Storybook Theatre’s upcoming production of The Little Mermaid. This musical show for kids, complete with audience participation, will be playing May 5, 6, 12, and 13 at the Kirkland Performance Center. This week’s books feature princesses, princes, and other fairy tale characters, although each plot involves a twist that [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids — Books about Mothers
Mother’s Day is coming up and so the perennial search for the perfect gift for your mom. Try one of these books, perfect for reading with or to your mom. If you want to pamper your mom even more, do something special for Mother’s Day in Kirkland. Currently, King County Library System (KCLS) has copies [...]
LETTER | Selwyn Cohen was a grace among us
Dear Editor: This week, I have been thinking of Sel and being grateful to have known him in the world of Evergreen Hospital. During his funeral, the rabbi sang a beautiful song in Hebrew stating “The whole world is a narrow bridge’” and then spoke about how Selwyn lived his high-integrity life on the narrow [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids — Visiting the Zoo
This week’s recommendations focus on the unforgettable experience of visiting the zoo. There’s nothing like seeing an animal up close to instill a sense of curiosity in kids. Read these books in anticipation of a visit to the zoo. Print off a copy of the map of the zoo and talk about what kind of [...]
LETTER | Dr. Selwyn Cohen remembered
It was 21 years ago today that Dr. Selwyn Cohen, a gifted and generous plastic surgeon on the Eastside, was murdered in his Bellevue office by a former patient. He was staying late preparing for a lecture when the woman apparently came to talk to him. He let her in and she just shot him. [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids — Dance Your Heart Out!
It’s time to put on your dancing shoes because this week’s recommendations are all about dancing. From dinosaurs to monsters, these books feature characters who follow their dreams, no matter what kind of obstacles they may encounter. After reading these books, clear a space in your living room, turn on your itunes, and dance your [...]
Happy Easter from Kirkland’s Cow & Coyote
The Cow and The Coyote statue on Central Way greet all who pass with a whimsical welcome every season of the year. In celebration of Easter, the duo is sporting their Sunday best with Easter bonnets and baskets filled with Easter eggs. The town decorators have struck again! The decorating of the Cow and The [...]
LETTER | BN Zoning Mess – A Second Path Forward
Dear Editor: As surprising as it might seem, the developer’s attorney for the BN property on Lake St S and the neighbors concerned about application of the Comprehensive plan seem to agree on one thing. Spot zoning is bad. It is obviously fine to adopt uniform zoning that applies to all sites designated the same [...]
LETTER | BN Zoning Mess – Simply Add a (1) Suffix and it’s corrected
Dear Editor: This is a very simple answer to a very complex problem. What is useful is that it fulfills the request of the developer’s attorney (see below). In the past when it was determined that zoning did not fully implement the Comprehensive Plan, the city chose a very simple and straightforward method of ensuring [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids – Bringing out the artist in your child
Kirkland Arts Center, located in downtown Kirkland on Market Street, is starting the new spring session this month, so this week’s recommendations are all about bringing out the artist in your child. KAC offers classes in a variety of fine arts, from pottery to watercolors to sculpting. Check out the KAC website for more information. [...]
LETTER | Mistake by City deprives citizens of property rights
Developers are property rights advocates. But what if their “rights” infringe on the rights of neighbors? Whose rights come first? If you live next to commercial zones in the City of Kirkland, your rights no longer count. A one word oversight in Kirkland’s Zoning Code is systematically denying property rights to Kirkland citizens. That [...]
Rob Butcher, Editor
Do you have a news tip?Send news tips to: moc.sweivdnalkriknull@spit
Have a question you want answered? Let us know at:
moc.sweivdnalkriknull@rotide
