I live in Kirkland, so I do understand the problem to a significant degree and do believe it needs to be addressed. How to go about solving this problem? My first thought regarding the free all day parking is folks who aren’t visiting Kirkland to frequent businesses will simply take up most all the spaces, [...]
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Is FREE Parking the solution for Downtown Kirkland?
A former city councilmember thinks the solution to downtown parking is to make it free which is in direct contrast to plans being considered by City Hall. On March 6, 2012, former Kirkland city councilmember Jessica Greenway presented to the council a parking study of downtown Kirkland with some interesting conclusions. While on the council’s [...]
Reading in the Rain: Books for Kids – Inspirations from Bye, Bye Birdie
This week’s recommendations are inspired by Kirkland Junior High School/Studio East’s Production of Bye, Bye Birdie, which will be playing the Lake Washington High School Performance Arts Center March 23-24. The energetic show features a musical score by Charles Strouse and such songs as “Put on a Happy Face” and “A Lot of Livin’ To Do.” [...]
Reading in the Rain – Books for Kids: Weekly Book Recommendation Column Announced
Kirkland resident, Amy Musser, will begin a weekly book recommendation column for KirklandViews.com. Each column, posted to the site on Sunday, will include 3 picture book recommendations for kids ages 0-10. The first column will be posted on Sunday, March 25th. Books will be chosen to fit a weekly theme and to coordinate with [...]
LETTER | Nearly 600 Signatures Seem Inconsequential to Planning Commission
Letter to Editor: I am writing to you today to announce the public launch of www.STOPPotala.com in order to give any concerned Kirkland citizen the opportunity to get information on BN-Residential Market zones since there has been some progress to date regarding zoning that will implement the Comprehensive Plan, but the progress is insufficient [...]
LETTER | Citizen petition against density was huge success
Dear Editor: Thank you for helping to keep Kirkland the great community that we are. Last week’s petition campaign regarding residential density on Commercial zoned property in Kirkland was a HUGE success. In less than 5 days, over 500 individuals signed a citizen petition to apply a density cap to such zones. There were so many names, including those [...]
Boaters convince Kirkland to sink “rafting” regulations
The Kirkland City Council got more than they wanted when they asked city staff to produce a plan to deal with noisy boaters disturbing lake-front residents. The resulting plan, in development since September 2011, not only set fines for noisemakers but went so far as to prescribe the number of boats which could actually [...]
LETTER | The Kirkland Residents Council
Dear Editor: Today I am proposing a Kirkland Residents Council (KRC). This council shall be made up of 7 elected members of the community that will have a legal standing to counter the actions of Kirkland City Staff and Kirkland City Council (KCC). When the Kirkland City Council or Staff acts in opposition to the will of the people, [...]
The People’s Republic of Kirkland
I am compelled to respond to a proposal before the Kirkland City Council to amend regulations restricting the use of watercraft in the City of Kirkland (See Kirkland City Council to consider restricting watercraft regulations). My concern is the ease with which we relinquish our individual freedoms and how ingrained the “nanny state” mentality has [...]
LETTER | Enforce the regulations we have now, do not add new ones
Honorable Councilmembers: The proposed changes to watercraft regulations are too vague and not specific enough to prevent legal challenges. The age of watercraft using Lake Washington range from new to old each one having been built with legal original manufactured equipment (OME). Noise levels vary with each one. Third party modifications need to be addressed. To [...]
Kirkland City Council to consider restricting watercraft regulations (poll)
The City of Kirkland is recommending sweeping changes to the City’s watercraft regulations due to complaints from residents living on the water about excessive noise from revelers on boats. The Council will consider this issue at their March 6, 2012 meeting. In a staff memo to the Kirkland City Council titled, Amendments to KMC Title [...]
LETTER | Increasing Downtown Parking Fees Will Drive Away Businesses
Dear Editor: What is the purpose of adding/increasing parking lot fees downtown? If it’s to raise revenues, the idea of charging for parking downtown or other business locations is ridiculous. It will probably reduce sales tax revenues or maybe drive out business or cause them to locate elsewhere. Since when did the Council quit supporting [...]
LETTER | Governor wants an increase in state sales tax (poll)
Dear Editor, If everyone knows there is a budget shortfall then now is a good time to float an increase in the sales tax… Just a fraction of a cent, not real greedy, and it’s only for non-edible items so won’t affect those citizens living hand to mouth… much. The fact is, there has been [...]
LETTER | Public asks Council Members for Records Request Help
Dear Editor: In a very open and transparent letter, I am reaching out to Mr. Nixon to see if he might help in what has been a very difficult records request saga that is of great significance to hundreds of Kirkland Citizens. He recently commented on the importance of this right (see Councilmember [...]
Op-Ed | How should Kirkland pay for the Eastside Rail Corridor?
Citizen opinion survey provides “quick read” on preferred ways to pay for the “Kirkland Segment” Authored by City of Kirkland Council Members Dave Asher and Amy Walen Kirkland is on a path to buy the “Kirkland Segment” of the Eastside Rail Corridor as a first-step in completing the long-planned cross-Kirkland Trail. Faced with [...]
LETTER | Kirkland Library denies public use
Letter to the Editor: It has come to my Attention that the KCLS Public Library in Kirkland has denied the request of the use of their meeting rooms to local mothers groups. Stating there is no educational value, and the library is not a free play date space. Local Mothers groups provide a service to [...]
LETTER | TOD Does not improve our quality of life
Dear Editor: At [Tuesday] night’s Council meeting Mayor McBride issued the following statement: Speaking of the [Transit Oriented Development at the South Kirkland Park & Ride] TOD and its associated high density affordable housing in Kirkland, “It was a great thing.” Yes it would be a great thing if the Council developed the infrastructure [...]
LETTER | Vandalism strikes downtown Kirkland business
Dear Editor, We are Bubble Me, the newly opened bubble tea shop at Kirkland Square and we have a story to share. On Feb 6 around 6:20, a customer at our shop heard a big bang from outside while he was enjoying his strawberry chocolate crepe. What happened was that someone actually threw a big [...]
UPDATED — LETTER | Unlimited Density Along Residential Shoreline Must Be Stopped
UPDATED Eric Shields, Kirkland Planning Director has written the following to address this letter: Letter to editor: Kirkland City Council – UNLIMITED DENSITY ALONG ALL THE RESIDENTIAL SHORELINE PROPERTIES??? Do you know that you approved this on December 12, 2011??? Many of us doubt that this was your intention… and if [...]
Rob Butcher, Editor
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