Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting – April 4, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting – April 4, 2023
The Kirkland City Council held a regular meeting on April 4, 2023, starting with a study session at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m., adjourning at 10:55 p.m. The meeting included a joint session with the Park Board, a public hearing on the King County Crisis Care Centers Levy, discussion of an electric leaf blower initiative, an update on the NE 85th Street Station Area Plan, and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) workplan update. The council also reviewed draft questions for a parks ballot measure community survey.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (7-0): minutes of March 21, 2023; audit of accounts (payroll $4,856,109.80, bills $6,011,481.29); claims for damages from Kenneth D. Short and SeaWest Investment Associates; award of bid for 100th Avenue NE Roadway Improvements project to OMA Construction, Inc. for $18,751,206.80 with a budget increase of $2,300,200 from REET 2 Reserves and Fee-in-Lieu; confirmation of Suzanne Frindt to the Civil Service Commission (term ending December 31, 2024); ratification of 2022-2024 AFSCME Local 1837 Collective Bargaining Agreement; acknowledgment of 2022 Third Quarter Fire Department Dashboard, February 2023 Sales Tax Memo, Procurement Report, and Fire Station Capital Improvements Projects Update; and adoption of Resolution R-5586 approving the 2023 Surface Water Master Plan.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Cindy Charlebois (virtual): Expressed concerns about Imagine Housing's management of Francis Village, citing a violent incident on March 3, 2023 (incident #2023-000-7974), and alleged lack of enforcement of crime-free policies. She urged scrutiny of the La Quinta project.
- Michelle Billing (virtual): Supported Charlebois's comments, alleging that Imagine Housing's grievance policy is not followed and that a tenant with 18 violations in seven months remains.
- Wolfgang Kaehler (Quiet Clean Kirkland): Spoke in favor of phasing out gas-powered leaf blowers, citing health and environmental harms from emissions and noise.
- Michelle Alten-Kaehler (Quiet Clean Kirkland): Supported the electric leaf blower initiative, emphasizing worker health equity and the need for financial incentives for small businesses.
- Yasmin Karimli (Quiet Clean Kirkland): Advocated for a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, noting that over 100 U.S. jurisdictions have banned them, and argued that battery-powered equipment offers a positive return on investment in about 10 months.
Discussion Items
- King County Crisis Care Centers Levy (Resolution R-5587): Government Affairs Manager Diana Hart presented the ballot proposition, which would authorize a nine-year property tax levy at $0.145 per $1,000 of assessed valuation starting in 2024, funding crisis care centers, residential treatment, mobile crisis care, and workforce supports. No public testimony was offered. Councilmember Toby Nixon opposed the council taking an official position, arguing it is divisive. The resolution passed 6-1, with Nixon voting no.
- State Legislative Update #6: Diana Hart reported on the city's 2023 legislative priorities, including progress on ADU bills, missing middle housing, and capital budget requests for KPC and CKC projects (fully funded). The Denny Creek Bridge project was not funded. Councilmember Nixon noted that bills can pass without public hearings under suspended rules.
- NE 85th Street Station Area Plan Update: Planning Director Adam Weinstein and Finance Director Michael Olson presented options for naming the district: Rose Hill District, Cedar District, or a third option to gather more community feedback. Council favored option three: take two names (Rose Hill District and Cedar District) to the community, with possible inclusion of a Native American name after consultation with tribal leaders. Tax increment financing (TIF) briefings are scheduled for April 20 and April 26, with a May 16 deadline for ordinance approval.
- Electric Leaf Blower Initiative (Draft Resolution R-5585): Staff presented a three-phase approach: 2023 pilot and stakeholder engagement, 2024 financial incentives, and 2025-2026 preparation of an ordinance to phase out gas-powered backpack/handheld leaf blowers by end of 2025. Council supported the phased approach, financial incentives, and ongoing stakeholder engagement. Councilmember Toby Nixon opposed mandatory bans, favoring voluntary transition and noise ordinance enforcement. Council directed staff to incorporate feedback and return April 18 for potential action.
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Workplan Update: DEIB Manager Erika Mascorro highlighted projects: the Kirkland Initiative (8-week civic leadership course starting May 4), Welcoming America certification (first in Washington state), Equity Impact Assessment Tool (pilot on Houghton Village outreach), equity in contracting (partnership with OWMBE), cultural events (Juneteenth, progress flag crosswalk), and Community Appreciation Night. Council expressed support and requested a comprehensive report in summer 2023.
- Parks Ballot Measure Community Survey Questions: Communications Manager David Wolbrecht and Management Analyst Hillary De La Cruz reviewed draft survey questions. Council provided extensive feedback on question wording, including concerns about polarizing questions, inclusion of park board priorities (turf fields, dog parks, security), and clarity on location descriptions. Staff will finalize questions with EMC Research by April 11, with the survey to be fielded after spring break.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution R-5587 (Supporting King County Proposition 1, Crisis Care Centers Levy) approved 6-1 (Nixon opposed).
- Consent Calendar approved unanimously 7-0.
- Electric Leaf Blower Initiative: Council directed staff to bring back a revised resolution on April 18, incorporating feedback on phased approach, financial incentives, and expanded stakeholder engagement (including Lake Washington School District).
- NE 85th Street Station Area Plan: Council directed staff to seek community feedback on two names (Rose Hill District and Cedar District) and consult with tribal leaders for a potential Native American name, with a report back.
- DEIB Workplan: Council acknowledged the update and requested a comprehensive report on the DEIB roadmap in summer 2023.
- Parks Ballot Measure Survey: Staff will finalize questions by April 11, incorporating council feedback, and present results to council on May 16.
- City Manager Report: Council authorized the city manager to sign a letter of support for Sound Transit's federal grant application for battery-electric buses. The first principal assembly for the Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency is tentatively scheduled for early June 2023.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. We're live, Mayor. I would like to call to order the city council meeting of April the 4th, 2023. Tonight's meeting is a hybrid meeting. Community members are welcome to join us either in person or remotely through Zoom or by telephone. Clerk, will you please call the role? Councilmember Nixon. Sure. Councilmember Black. Here. Councilmember Curtis. Here. Councilmember Falcone. Here. Councilmember Pascal. Here. Deputy Mayor Arnold. Here. Mayor Sweet. Here. And Park Board, would you like to introduce yourselves? Yes, good evening. Mike Holland, Chair of the Park Board. I'd like to ask the Park Board members to introduce themselves and also state how long they've been on the on the board, starting with Rochan Preek. Oh, oops, me too. Rotion Preek since 2020. Hi, Amy Ambrazini. Uh, just about one year now. I'm Kathy Carney, and I'm a new member since January. Tessa Hansen, uh, this is my second year. Well, great, thank you so much. We're the park board is very happy to be here tonight for our annual joint joint session. And um, you know, the the park board has two primary topics to talk about today. Obviously, one, the big one, the big elephant in the room is the November ballot measure, if that's what we're gonna be doing and what might be included on that. The park board has some ideas they'd like to share. And number two is generally speaking with the increased in population here in Kirkland, growing, growing. Uh the park board would like to talk about park service level. So those are the two major items that the park board has kind of thought about for maybe topics that we'd like to address tonight, and certainly anything else that council would like to chat about. So thank you. Super Mike, before we get going, I missed a cue. So I'm just gonna insert uh the announcement of the study session, which is a special joint meeting with the park board. After our study session, we will be meeting an executive session to discuss the potential acquisition of real property. If you are a member of the public joining us by Zoom this evening, please exit and log off the Zoom feature during our executive session. You will then need to log back in to Zoom when one of our regular meeting when our regular meeting can reconvenes at approximately 7:30. Thank you. Okay, city manager. Okay, thank you. So uh just really quickly before you dive into the fun stuff. Uh I want to acknowledge this is actually our first in-person joint meeting in over three years. So congratulations everybody.
openpublica.com