OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Meeting - November 18, 2025: Special and Regular Sessions

City Council — Tuesday, November 18, 2025
BodyKirkland, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, November 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:15:34

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Also joining us remotely.

0:02

Clerk, can you please call the role for our regular meeting?

0:04

Councilmember Tim Chizon.

0:06

Here.

0:07

Councilmember Black.

0:08

Here.

0:08

Councilmember Sweet.

0:10

Here.

0:10

Councilmember Pascal.

0:11

Here.

0:12

Deputy Mayor Arnold.

0:13

Here.

0:14

Councilmember Falcone.

0:15

Here.

0:16

Mayor Curtis.

0:17

Here.

0:18

All present.

0:19

Thank you.

0:20

We'll start tonight's meeting with our honors and proclamations.

0:25

Our first proclamation is the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

0:29

City Manager.

0:30

Okay.

0:30

Thank you, Deputy Marnold, members of the Council.

0:33

So we'll be proclaiming November 20th, 2025 as Transgender Day of Remembrance in Kirkland.

0:39

For many of the reasons that will be outlined in the proclamation.

0:42

Just want to let folks know that there's also more information in the memo that's included in the packet as well.

0:47

We're very excited to have receiving the proclamation.

0:49

Zella, who is an eight-year military veteran, a 40-year resident of King County, a devoted partner who recently celebrated 31 years of marriage and proud parent of three wonderful children.

1:00

And she is here to accept proclamation.

1:02

Thank you.

1:02

And Councilmember Sweet will be joining me for the proclamation.

1:09

31 years.

1:16

Okay.

1:17

Yeah, let's go down.

1:22

You're tall enough.

1:38

Whereas in 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender activist, founded Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender African American woman who was murdered in 1998.

1:54

And whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance is designated on November 20th of each year and honors the memory of transgender people whose lives have been lost to senseless violence, transphobia, self-harm, and structural inequities.

2:10

And whereas in June 2023, the human rights campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans, citing what it called an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation and hostile policies.

2:29

And whereas, according to the human rights campaign in 2024, there were at least 32 transgender and gender-expansive people whose lives were taken through violence, and that there are many more violent stories that go unreported or misreported.

2:47

And whereas on June 17th, 2025, this city council reaffirmed by adopting Resolution 5686 that the City of Kirkland stands strong in its diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging values to be a welcoming, inclusive, and safe city for the two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer questioning, intersex, asexual plus people, and recognizing their human rights and well-being.

3:15

And whereas it is critical that an intersectional perspective and acknowledgement of systemic racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia are needed to effectively address the needs and concerns of transgender individuals and other gender non-conforming people, and whereas those lost this year and in years prior deserve to be honored and remembered.

3:40

Their lives mattered and they will forever be missed by their family, friends, partners, and community.

3:47

Now, therefore, Mayor Kelly Curtis, on behalf of this city council, proclaims November the 20th, 2025 as Transgender Day of Remember Remembrance in Kirkland, Washington, and invites our community to help raise awareness of the lived experience of transgender people everywhere to help foster a more equitable and inclusive community.

4:21

Hello, everybody.

4:33

Um I knew from an early age that I didn't quite fit the prescribed role of masculinity, but in the time I was growing up, I still managed to force myself into these roles and got married to a lovely woman who loved me and is changed and evolved and still loves me for who I am.

4:55

I served eight years in the United States Air Force.

5:01

I raised them up through high school, sent some of them to college, and in the year 2000, I finally gave myself time to start actually reflecting and questioning who I was as a person.

5:15

And in deep, deep conversations with my family with my doctor and with my therapist.

5:26

And I fully came out in 2023.

5:31

And that that's just a touch of who I am.

5:34

But transgender day of awareness or of remembrance, different different days, um, is about remembering our people that have been lost through the community.

5:48

I would, if I'd had more time, I would like to, I would have liked to have gone through and read each of the 58 names of the United States citizens that were lost this year.

6:00

21 of them through suicide, 28 through murder and other violence, as well as the ones through other means such as medical neglect and such.

6:14

But that's that's a name dump, and that's not going to resonate.

6:19

And so I wanted to kind of give a few analogies to things to try to put in perspective how big of a problem it is for the transgender population and the dangers to them.

6:35

According to recent surveys by the CDC and other sources, it is estimated that there are approximately one million people in the United States under the age of 25 that are transgender or non-binary, or some of the gender nonconforming identities.

7:11

To put that in perspective, that is a hundred and thirty thousand people.

7:18

That would be enough to fill T Mobile Stadium and Lumen Field to capacity.

7:24

That's the number of people that at some point this year had decided that life wasn't worth living in this environment because of all of the pressures that were put on them.

7:44

That's the equivalent of three full glasses from Juanita High School just erased from existence.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning And Zoning████████████████████████████28%
Affordable Housing█████████████13%
Procedural███████████11%
Homelessness██████████10%
Water And Wastewater Management███████7%
Fiscal Sustainability█████5%
LGBTQ+ Rights████4%
Community Engagement████4%
Miscellaneous███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Meeting - November 18, 2025: Special and Regular Sessions

The Kirkland City Council held a special meeting at 5:30 PM and a regular meeting at 7:30 PM on November 18, 2025. The special session addressed a park property acquisition, a Kraken partnership update, and the 2026 state legislative agenda. The regular session featured proclamations, two public hearings, a consent calendar with numerous routine items, and business items including a homelessness action plan review, a water pressure update, a greenway project funding request, zoning code amendments for two Juanita district sites, and the 2026 property tax levy adoption. The meeting adjourned at 11:47 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes of the November 5, 2025 regular meeting.
  • Acknowledged audit of accounts: bills $5,165,599.42 and payroll $8,042,489.51.
  • Acknowledged claims for damages from six individuals.
  • Awarded a construction contract to Kamins Construction of Bothell, Washington for the NE 100th Street/132nd Avenue Intersection Improvement project in the amount of $1,186,388.19.
  • Acknowledged the Native American Heritage Day Proclamation.
  • Accepted a $1,000 donation from Congregation Kol Ami for the Homeless Support Program.
  • Acknowledged Library Board member Heather Gertmenian's resignation and approved appointment of alternate Graham Haas.
  • Declared surplus vehicles and authorized disposal through sale.
  • Approved Resolution R-5703 adopting the 2024 Streets Levy Accountability Report.
  • Acknowledged the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) Final Report.
  • Acknowledged the 2025 Third Quarter Parks and Community Services Report, Third Quarter Fire Dashboard Report, September 2025 Financial Dashboard Report, and Procurement Report.
  • Motion carried 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Items from the Audience (9 speakers): Bea Nahon honored former councilmember Dave Asher and suggested naming the 100th Street Bridge after him. Gaylene Vaden, Director of Grants at Kindering, thanked the city for funding programs serving children with developmental delays and families experiencing homelessness. Kyle Sullivan supported the Houghton Village development plan, urging maintenance of building heights at the Michael and Goodwill sites and flexibility in affordable housing requirements. Alison Warner (Balboa Retail Partners) noted the property owner's engagement in the zoning process for the Goodwill site. Murray McKinney (Highlands resident) supported Alternative 4 for the water pressure issue and urged urgent action. Loita Hawkinson requested curb-tire education to prevent runaway vehicles. Alex Tsimerman voiced grievances about legal treatment and criticized governance. Lisa Berenson opposed development on the Michael and Goodwill sites, calling for stricter height limits and higher affordability. Joe Kunzler encouraged respectful public comment and suggested limiting comments to city business.
  • Houghton Village Public Hearing (13 testifiers): Scott Denman, Tracy Durnell, Beth Lenholt, Margaret Toomey (Studio East), Kyle Sullivan, Debbie Thiel, Amber Hu, Catie Malik, Nicole MacKenzie, Lauren Hall-Stigerts, Gennifer Zents, Jennifer Loy, Lisa Berenson, Vita Lia, and Stu Vanderhook testified. Many supported the development plan with five-story height, reduced parking, and community/arts spaces. Some urged more affordable housing and guaranteed nonprofit space. Several opposed the plan, arguing it is financially infeasible and restricts future development, and advocated selling the property without restrictive conditions. Catie Malik proposed selling the property due to taxpayer costs and soil issues. Nicole MacKenzie argued the development plan and sale decision are intertwined. Vita Lia requested affordability for current residents. Stu Vanderhook opposed based on experience with similar projects.
  • Design Review Board Public Hearing (3 testifiers): Kyle Sullivan supported the changes. Bea Nahon agreed with streamlining but criticized the 300-foot notice radius as too small and warned against reducing public oversight. Lisa Beronson argued that one DRB meeting is insufficient for meaningful review.

Discussion Items

  • Houghton Village Development Plan (O-4915): Deputy Director Allison Zike presented the draft development plan, which would allow up to five-story mixed-use development on the city-owned site, with approximately 145 residential units and 26,000 square feet of commercial/community space. The plan includes design guidelines, sustainability requirements, and parking standards that would default to existing code or the lower standards of SB 5184 (to be implemented by January 2027). Councilmembers supported moving forward with the plan, with several favoring reduced parking requirements aligned with SB 5184. The plan will be considered for adoption on December 9, 2025. A zoning code amendment to reference the five-story height allowance will also be brought forward.
  • Design Review Process and Zoning Code Amendments (Chapter 142): Senior Planner Tony Leavitt presented changes to comply with state law (RCW 36.70A.630), including administrative review for eligible projects, a single public meeting requirement, and an alternative compliance role for the Design Review Board. Council supported the amendments, with discussion on the 300-foot notice radius (including residents) and handling of potential deadlocks. The final code will be presented for adoption in January 2026 alongside related guidelines.
  • Homelessness Continuum of Care Action Plan Review: Human Services Manager Jen Boone and Analyst Juliana da Cruz presented the revised plan with 76 actions. Council provided direction on action 65 (funding advocacy) – supporting a hybrid approach: advocate for more regional funding for affordable housing, including exploring a King County housing levy, with additional community engagement. Staff will bring the plan for adoption on December 9, 2025. Council also supported adding an action to consider advocacy for state/regional policies supporting homelessness prevention.
  • Highlands Water Pressure Update: Senior Project Engineer I-Wen Yang presented Alternative 4 – a temporary regional booster pump station to restore pressure before summer 2026. Council directed staff to proceed with pre-design and return in January 2026 with refined cost and schedule. The solution is considered temporary and would be decommissioned after a permanent fix.
  • Kirkland Neighborhoods Greenway Stores to Shores Update: Capital Division Manager Rob English requested a $250,000 fiscal note addition (from interest on a 2021 transportation debt issuance) to cover flagging cost overruns and complete the project. The motion carried 7-0.
  • Juanita Business District (JBD 4) and North Juanita Center Zoning Code Amendments: Senior Planner LeAndra Baker-Lewis and Director Adam Weinstein briefed council on Planning Commission recommendations for the Goodwill and Michael sites, including height increases, townhome allowances, commercial requirements, and affordable housing flexibility. Council agreed to a schedule: council members will communicate amendment concepts to staff by November 21; draft amendments will be posted by December 2; applicants requested to submit feedback by December 5; adoption on December 9. Discussion included using binding site plans to ensure mixed-use development on the Goodwill site.
  • 2026 Property Tax Levy Adoption: Finance Director Michael Olson presented Ordinance O-4914, setting the levy at about 87 cents per $1,000 assessed value (down from 93 cents), including a 1% increase (~$440,000) and new construction adjustments. The ordinance was adopted unanimously, 7-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes and Decisions:
    • Consent calendar approved 7-0.
    • Stores to Shores fiscal note ($250,000) approved 7-0.
    • 2026 Property Tax Levy (Ordinance O-4914) approved 7-0.
    • Reaffirmed actions from the November 18 special meeting (Resolutions R-5701, R-5702 as amended, and letter to eCityGov alliance) unanimously.
  • Direction to Staff:
    • Proceed with pre-design of Alternative 4 temporary booster pump station for Highlands water pressure; report back in January 2026.
    • Incorporate council's direction on the Homelessness Action Plan (hybrid language for action 65, added policy advocacy action) and bring for adoption on December 9.
    • Develop Houghton Village Development Plan with reduced parking standards (SB 5184); bring ordinance for adoption on December 9.
    • Prepare Design Review Board code amendments for adoption in January 2026.
    • For JBD 4 and North Juanita Center amendments, work with council members on draft amendments and aim for adoption on December 9.
  • Referrals and Next Steps:
    • The Transportation Benefit District update (NE 132nd Street & Juanita Drive) was moved to January 2026.
    • The executive session on employee performance was deferred to a future date before December 9.
    • City Council regional reports were skipped due to late hour.

Meeting Transcript

Also joining us remotely. Clerk, can you please call the role for our regular meeting? Councilmember Tim Chizon. Here. Councilmember Black. Here. Councilmember Sweet. Here. Councilmember Pascal. Here. Deputy Mayor Arnold. Here. Councilmember Falcone. Here. Mayor Curtis. Here. All present. Thank you. We'll start tonight's meeting with our honors and proclamations. Our first proclamation is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. City Manager. Okay. Thank you, Deputy Marnold, members of the Council. So we'll be proclaiming November 20th, 2025 as Transgender Day of Remembrance in Kirkland. For many of the reasons that will be outlined in the proclamation. Just want to let folks know that there's also more information in the memo that's included in the packet as well. We're very excited to have receiving the proclamation. Zella, who is an eight-year military veteran, a 40-year resident of King County, a devoted partner who recently celebrated 31 years of marriage and proud parent of three wonderful children. And she is here to accept proclamation. Thank you. And Councilmember Sweet will be joining me for the proclamation. 31 years. Okay. Yeah, let's go down. You're tall enough. Whereas in 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender activist, founded Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender African American woman who was murdered in 1998. And whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance is designated on November 20th of each year and honors the memory of transgender people whose lives have been lost to senseless violence, transphobia, self-harm, and structural inequities. And whereas in June 2023, the human rights campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans, citing what it called an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation and hostile policies. And whereas, according to the human rights campaign in 2024, there were at least 32 transgender and gender-expansive people whose lives were taken through violence, and that there are many more violent stories that go unreported or misreported. And whereas on June 17th, 2025, this city council reaffirmed by adopting Resolution 5686 that the City of Kirkland stands strong in its diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging values to be a welcoming, inclusive, and safe city for the two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer questioning, intersex, asexual plus people, and recognizing their human rights and well-being. And whereas it is critical that an intersectional perspective and acknowledgement of systemic racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia are needed to effectively address the needs and concerns of transgender individuals and other gender non-conforming people, and whereas those lost this year and in years prior deserve to be honored and remembered. Their lives mattered and they will forever be missed by their family, friends, partners, and community. Now, therefore, Mayor Kelly Curtis, on behalf of this city council, proclaims November the 20th, 2025 as Transgender Day of Remember Remembrance in Kirkland, Washington, and invites our community to help raise awareness of the lived experience of transgender people everywhere to help foster a more equitable and inclusive community. Hello, everybody. Um I knew from an early age that I didn't quite fit the prescribed role of masculinity, but in the time I was growing up, I still managed to force myself into these roles and got married to a lovely woman who loved me and is changed and evolved and still loves me for who I am. I served eight years in the United States Air Force. I raised them up through high school, sent some of them to college, and in the year 2000, I finally gave myself time to start actually reflecting and questioning who I was as a person. And in deep, deep conversations with my family with my doctor and with my therapist. And I fully came out in 2023. And that that's just a touch of who I am.

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