Okay, we're left.

Yeah.

Okay.

I think we're gonna get started.

Okay, I would like to call to order the January 25th, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.

And we'll start off with roll call.

Cut you, Alan.

Present for you, Heiser?

Yeah.

Aaron Jacobson.

Here.

Angela Rosman.

Here.

Rodney Rutherford.

Here.

Sandy Single.

Okay.

Uh we have quite a bit on our schedule tonight.

And we will uh start off with comments from the audience.

And uh we do have a sign-in list.

I uh if you do want to talk tonight, we'll let you raise your hand, but please do sign in at some point.

Um we have two groups tonight, one representing the Michaels and one representing the Goodwill site.

Uh if you could group yourselves together, that's all we ask.

And I do want to say to uh residents of Kirkland that are speaking on these two sites, we do read all of your emails and we do encourage you to participate.

Um all emails uh from anyone involved with this are public record, and feel free to you know read what is presented.

Um with that said, um why don't we start off with um is Meredith Sorry I put myself above I I'm Jessica Classen.

I okay sorry with with Meredith's permission, she let me go first.

Wonderful.

Um so we are grouping ourselves together.

I'm Jessica Classen with McCullough Hill.

Um we are working with the owners of the Juanita Michaels, and um we're here to thank staff for uh considering uh a 70-foot height and additional density on that site.

I think um everybody recognizes that additional height and density is one of the things that the city needs to have in order to afford some of the the good stuff that you also want with development, which is good pedestrian environment, you know, possible mixed uses maybe, um, certainly affordable housing and the high quality of design and pedestrian connections.

So in order to get all of those good things, we definitely do need that additional height and density.

So again, we are very supportive of um staff taking a look at this.

We know this is a long road, we will be back, but um I wanted to give it to Meredith, next public commenter, to oh actually to Carl, the owner, um, to uh discuss um his ownership of the site.

Is that okay?

And I would like the record to show that Commissioner Singell has joined us.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Carl Peterson and I own the property that is currently leased to Michaels.

Uh I grew up in Seattle and I live in Shoreline.

Uh I'm an active uh in making a positive change in the community by volunteering uh to help elders stay in their homes through the Northwest Neighbors Network as well as being a foster parent.

Um regarding the property at hand, uh currently Michaels refuses to perform uh basic maintenance as required by the lease.

Uh and this leaves the the the area that's the gateway to Juanita Village looking uh dilapidated like a Russian safe way.

Um I'd like to see a positive change also in the neighborhood uh for the community here in Kirkland.

Um in listening to Leandra Baker Lewis, I believe uh that we have uh a proposal that would provide much of what people are asking for, uh including uh bike lane and widening the sidewalk with small trees alongside to provide a safer better looking link for pedestrians and cyclists between Juanita Beach Park and Juanita Bay Park.

The proposal would also provide um many units uh probably with a minimum of 17 to 40, I'm sorry, 17 to 20 affordable units.

Our location is a great spot to add units with proximity to Juanita Village amenities, mass transit, and the parks.

I also believe that much of the traffic created by the proposed units would be offset by removing the substantial traffic generated by Michaels.

Additionally, this property is unlike the Moss Bay development, in that there is no view or lakefront for people to see.

The property is bordered by a street, neighbors, and cottonwoods growing in wetlands.

Our proposed our proposed Our proposal establishes an improved pedestrian path, which best appears to serve public interest.

A few years ago, after completing phase one in a citizen's amendment request here with City Hall for 41 feet, I learned of a change in wetlands zoning that would substantially decrease the land upon which I could build.

Upon learning this, I realized uh that it was didn't make sense to move forward, so I withdrew my application at that time for the phase two.

And um that has brought uh me back here today again.

Uh if we're not able to find a win-win here that allows this zoning to go through, I intend to sign a lease uh extension for 20 to 30 years.

Uh that would keep the building sidewalk and lack of bike lane the same.

Uh nevertheless, I do look very much forward to working with you all to see what we can do here uh to change the zoning.

And I want to thank you for your time.

And please let me introduce Meredith Everest, who is our team architect.

She will help further explain how we can prove provide winds for the public, such as improved park-to-park connection for pedestrians and cyclists, attractive design, and affordable housing units.