OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - July 21, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodyKirkland, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 5:04:51

Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

Thank you.

0:21

Our study session tonight is on two items.

0:23

First, we'll have an update on the Northeast 85th Street Station Area Branding and Mary Project.

0:29

Second, we will have an update on the urban forest management plan.

0:33

We expect to reconvene our regular meeting at 7:30.

0:37

City manager.

0:38

Okay.

0:38

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

0:39

Deputy Mayor, members of the council.

0:40

So yes, our first topic is going to be the AFS Street Area Branding.

0:44

I'm going to turn it over to our economic development manager, Jen Davis Hayes, to make the presentation.

0:48

And we're looking for council feedback.

0:50

She's going to introduce our special guest as well.

0:52

So take away, Jen.

0:53

Great.

0:54

Thank you very much, Council members, for uh hearing our update tonight.

0:58

As you mentioned, we're here for the Northeast 85th Street Station Area Branding and Marketing Project.

1:03

So hopefully we'll have a new name for that later this fall.

1:06

So as a reminder, this is one component of the work we do on Northeast 85th.

1:10

For instance, in the last few weeks, I've met with three of the large property owners in this area.

1:16

And I continue talking to developers.

1:18

That's in turn have actually created interest in other Kirkland properties.

1:31

We're looking at having a third one in this fall.

1:34

And of course, there thanks to council support for changes in parking development standards, et cetera, that helped to uh further entice redevelopment in this area.

1:44

And later this year and in 2027, we're looking at a multi-prong marketing strategy from these materials.

1:51

So we hired Watson Creative, we'll meet the team tonight to help name brand and create marketing collateral for the real estate industry for us to be able to go out and go to develop sponsored of uh events to do promotion through Peterson Business Journal and Daily Journal of Commerce, et cetera.

2:08

Um we've created uh we've worked with them uh with an internal steering committee of myself, communications staff, planning staff, and the Kirkland Chamber Executive Director.

2:17

Um so tonight you'll hear journey of where we've been so far, but also it's not just a status update, but to get a better understanding of the naming criteria.

2:27

So tonight we are joined by our fabulous team uh from Watson Creative.

2:31

Um, and so first uh we have Greg Needham, who is um the director of strategy, and he will be doing the presentation mostly tonight, but he is also joined by Byron Fernie, who is the brand strategist and writer, Trina Mata, who is the senior account strategist, and Paolo Esteban, who is our senior project manager.

2:52

So they have done a great job, and we look forward to hearing from them today.

2:56

Greg Thank you very much.

2:59

Let my share my screen real quick.

3:02

Can you see my screen?

3:04

We can.

3:05

Welcome everybody.

3:07

Great.

3:08

Thank you for having us.

3:09

Um Kirkland Council, it's a pleasure to be here.

3:12

I'll just add quickly.

3:14

I think uh city councils and commissions are my favorite and often most effective level of government.

3:20

So I really appreciate your time in having us and excited to run you through this.

3:24

We don't want to take up much of your time tonight.

3:26

We've greatly shortened the presentation.

3:28

It started out when we were working with the team there at about a hundred slides.

3:32

We've shortened it down significantly.

3:35

Um just to familiarize yourself, we're Watson Creative, uh founded and based in Portland, Oregon.

3:40

We've got a team of about 30 um currently scattered all around, and most of them are contributing to this work.

3:47

And in case you weren't aware, Kirkland has a warm spot in our heart.

3:50

We've been doing work for the City of Kirkland Police Department for some time on recruitment campaigns as well.

3:58

Um just a brief overview of some of the sources and work we've done so far.

4:03

We've had as mentioned before city leadership and staff conversations.

4:07

We ran a workshop with some stakeholders to sort of narrow down where we were headed, interviews with developers and civic leaders.

4:14

Um we've gone through all of the previous work done, the 2022 residence naming survey, and then a fairly sizable amount of secondary research that included looking at other district naming precedents, what worked, what hasn't worked, where they come from, and why they are successful in the end.

4:32

Um, a quick summary of just the multiple conversations we've had.

4:36

Um everyone agrees that this is a real asset based on its Kirkland address, specifically the developers feel that way.

4:44

The elevation and west facing views are undersold, in their opinion.

4:49

Doesn't have its own story.

4:50

We're looking to sort of start that story process with a effective name for the district and a distinct third destination tied to downtown, not a copy of Bellevue.

5:02

Um, naming does not address everything, it's just the start of the process.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation████████████████16%
Economic Development█████████████13%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Transportation Safety████████8%
Public Engagement██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Immigration Policy██████6%
Pending Litigation██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - July 21, 2026

This meeting included a study session on the NE 85th Street Station Area Branding and the Urban Forest Management Plan, followed by a regular meeting with public comments, policy discussions, and votes on park rules, parking enforcement, detention center code amendments, and other items. The council also addressed a postponed affordable housing fee ordinance, directed staff on immigration enforcement policies, and approved a tourism membership.

Study Session

  • NE 85th Street Station Area Branding and Marketing Project Update: Watson Creative presented naming territories (elevation, community, corridor, threshold, heritage) and criteria. Council provided feedback; staff will return in September with three name options.
  • Urban Forest Management Plan Update Briefing No. 2: Environmental program coordinator Anna Heckman presented data on canopy cover, tree permits, and public tree inventory. Council discussed vision, guiding principles, and 20-year goals, emphasizing integration with housing policy and addressing Holmes Point overlay concerns.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes, audit of accounts (payroll $8,099,287.42 and bills $3,739,885.85), claims, interlocal agreement with Woodinville (Resolution R-5741), CIP report, and various annual reports.
  • Item 8H2 (Seattle Sports Commission membership) was pulled to the business agenda.
  • Consent calendar approved 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alex Zimmerman: Accused council of fascism, referenced unaddressed complaint about Deputy Mayor Black.
  • Guillermo Rivera (Homes for All): Urged council to engage immigrant communities on detention center policy; requested input before decisions.
  • Rick Long: Advocated for e-bike safety policies for children; suggested studying Mill Valley, California's approach.
  • Karen Walker and Bart Chellis: Opposed vehicle access on 75th Street Greenway for a proposed short plat development at 7508 126th Ave NE; requested driveways face 126th Ave NE.
  • Alex Chellis: Raised missing components in tree retention plan for the same development; urged preservation of nine high-retention-value trees.
  • Beatrice: Urged council to directly consult affected communities before imposing a detention center moratorium.
  • Katie Malik: Questioned city's handling of Houghton Village easement and contamination; called for accountability.
  • Liz Hunt: Supported home business/neighborhood commercial project; recommended residents be treated as tier-one stakeholders in community engagement.

Discussion Items

Kirkland Youth Bill of Rights (Item 9A)

  • Postponed to September meeting to allow additional engagement with Kirkland Youth Council. Motion carried 7-0.

Proposed Updates to City Park Rules (Ordinance O-4945)

  • Staff presented clarifications on definitions (motor vehicles, bicycles, e-bikes, trail use) and dog restrictions on swim beaches (prohibited May 1 – Sept 30 at designated beaches). Council asked about signage and communication plans. Ordinance adopted 7-0.

Proposed Changes to Parking Enforcement and Vehicle Impound Rules (Ordinance O-4946)

  • Police presented data on abandoned vehicle calls (632 calls in 2025, 100 impounds) and proposed amendments: making RV storage a civil infraction, expanding impound authority to city-owned property, and modernizing notice requirements. Council expressed concerns about impacts on unhoused individuals and clarity around RV vs. vehicle definitions. Staff directed to return with revised language addressing these concerns; no vote taken.

Discussion of Home Business and Neighborhood Commercial Allowances Project (Item 9D)

  • Staff outlined project scope, existing regulations, and peer city approaches. Council feedback included support for a tiered approach (starting with corner lots/arterials), more community engagement (in-person events), and consideration of unintended consequences. Some council members requested an additional check-in with the Planning Commission; others preferred letting the commission work independently. Timeline may be extended into 2027.

Update on Resolution R-5729 Regarding City’s Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement (Item 9E)

  • Staff presented a report card on progress, noting completed policy reviews, ongoing training, and community education efforts. Council (Mayor Curtis, Councilmember Falcone) requested more detailed briefings on internal policies (1B) and police response plans (4C) before the next quarterly report. Staff will coordinate deeper dives.

Detention Center Discussion (Item 9F)

  • Staff analysis concluded that privately operated detention centers are prohibited by omission in zoning code; federal facilities are allowed under “government facility” use. Staff recommended against a moratorium. Councilmember Falcone moved for a moratorium (failed 1-6). Deputy Mayor Black moved for targeted code amendments to prohibit immigration detention facilities, with public hearing held by council. Motion carried 7-0. Staff will bring proposed amendments.

Tourism Development Committee Recommendation for Seattle Sports Commission Membership (Item 8H2)

  • Council approved $8,000 annual membership (funded by lodging tax) to support tourism and sports events. Motion carried 7-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Youth Bill of Rights postponed to September.
  • Park rules ordinance adopted (O-4945).
  • Parking/impound ordinance discussion; staff to return with revised code.
  • Home business/neighborhood commercial project to continue with council input; possible timeline extension.
  • Resolution 5729 update: staff to provide more detailed briefings on policies and police protocols.
  • Detention center: staff directed to draft targeted code amendments to prohibit immigration detention facilities, with council public hearing.
  • Seattle Sports Commission membership approved.
  • Houghton Village easement: council authorized city manager to negotiate modification or extinguishment.

Additional Action: The council voted 4-3 to postpone consideration of Ordinance 4937 (affordable housing fee) to the September 1st meeting, after untabling it earlier in the evening.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. Our study session tonight is on two items. First, we'll have an update on the Northeast 85th Street Station Area Branding and Mary Project. Second, we will have an update on the urban forest management plan. We expect to reconvene our regular meeting at 7:30. City manager. Okay. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Deputy Mayor, members of the council. So yes, our first topic is going to be the AFS Street Area Branding. I'm going to turn it over to our economic development manager, Jen Davis Hayes, to make the presentation. And we're looking for council feedback. She's going to introduce our special guest as well. So take away, Jen. Great. Thank you very much, Council members, for uh hearing our update tonight. As you mentioned, we're here for the Northeast 85th Street Station Area Branding and Marketing Project. So hopefully we'll have a new name for that later this fall. So as a reminder, this is one component of the work we do on Northeast 85th. For instance, in the last few weeks, I've met with three of the large property owners in this area. And I continue talking to developers. That's in turn have actually created interest in other Kirkland properties. We're looking at having a third one in this fall. And of course, there thanks to council support for changes in parking development standards, et cetera, that helped to uh further entice redevelopment in this area. And later this year and in 2027, we're looking at a multi-prong marketing strategy from these materials. So we hired Watson Creative, we'll meet the team tonight to help name brand and create marketing collateral for the real estate industry for us to be able to go out and go to develop sponsored of uh events to do promotion through Peterson Business Journal and Daily Journal of Commerce, et cetera. Um we've created uh we've worked with them uh with an internal steering committee of myself, communications staff, planning staff, and the Kirkland Chamber Executive Director. Um so tonight you'll hear journey of where we've been so far, but also it's not just a status update, but to get a better understanding of the naming criteria. So tonight we are joined by our fabulous team uh from Watson Creative. Um, and so first uh we have Greg Needham, who is um the director of strategy, and he will be doing the presentation mostly tonight, but he is also joined by Byron Fernie, who is the brand strategist and writer, Trina Mata, who is the senior account strategist, and Paolo Esteban, who is our senior project manager. So they have done a great job, and we look forward to hearing from them today. Greg Thank you very much. Let my share my screen real quick. Can you see my screen? We can. Welcome everybody. Great. Thank you for having us. Um Kirkland Council, it's a pleasure to be here. I'll just add quickly. I think uh city councils and commissions are my favorite and often most effective level of government. So I really appreciate your time in having us and excited to run you through this. We don't want to take up much of your time tonight. We've greatly shortened the presentation. It started out when we were working with the team there at about a hundred slides. We've shortened it down significantly. Um just to familiarize yourself, we're Watson Creative, uh founded and based in Portland, Oregon. We've got a team of about 30 um currently scattered all around, and most of them are contributing to this work. And in case you weren't aware, Kirkland has a warm spot in our heart. We've been doing work for the City of Kirkland Police Department for some time on recruitment campaigns as well.

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