SOUTH ROSE HILL/BRIDLE TRAILS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
President Bruce Feuling called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ATTENDANCE
Bill Anderson
Bruce Feuling
Jessica Greenway
Deirdre Johnson
Barb Jones
Jim McElwee
Ken Nelson
Don Samdahl
Imeria Schuler
Laura Seitz
Brian White
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FINANCES
N.A. Treasurer Barb Jones reported that the Neighborhood Association was, once again, applying for the City grant of $3,500. However, these funds would not cover all projected N.A. expenses, including the meeting announcement mailings, the mailbox, and the website. The N.A. webpage had been hosted for free, but now we will need to pay for service, approximately $360 year. The Neighborhood Association pays $30 a quarter for the private mailbox. It costs us $950 each for the meeting notice mailings which go to all 2,300 residents in the neighborhood. Ideas on ways to save/spend the grant money was discussed and included:
· Using postcards for meeting notice mailings, like North Rose Hill N.A.
· Investigating another mailing service. Mail Movers, which the City uses, was going to be contacted to see about their pricing.
· Further study will be made of other mailing options.
· Some neighborhoods only send email meeting notifications (but also only get three members showing up).
· Perhaps take a poll of how people learned about the meeting – website, mailing, signs, etc.
· N.A. to contact Sherry at the Kirkland Courier and provide her a solid paragraph regarding upcoming agendas
· Post meeting notices on the City TV station
· Send meeting notices to the Eastside Journal
· Pass the Hat – maybe at the May meeting but it would be announced ahead of time
· Contribution box in the back of the room – identified as “for mailings,” etc.
· Number of meeting notice mailings reduced but mail for a hot issue
· Email members the meeting notices and mail to only those without an email address
· Neighborhood Picnic – how would it be funded?
· Cookies and coffee served at our general meetings are reimbursed but the current arrangement may have to change. Starbucks should be contacted to see if they could step up.
· Possibly purchase a sound system so we can take it with us if we move locations.
It was agreed that the City Grant could fund three initial mailings, the website, and the mailbox.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT SIGNS
Meeting signs are still being put out at key locations. The group decided to stick with our current signs. A poll will be taken at next meeting to see how attendees heard of the meeting which would include the signs.
N.E. 85th STREET/SOUND TRANSIT
Meetings involving Sound Transit are moving forward with Neighborhood Association participation.
· Sound Transit current plans to provide $3,000,000 to City for intersection improvements on 124th N.E. and 122nd N.E.
· $1.2 million to be requested from the City to finish off improvements
· Originally sidewalks were proposed on both sides of side streets off 85th. Now it looks more like one side only to get sidewalks.
· 124th, south of 85th, however, is proposed to have sidewalks on both sides
· 124th, north of 85th, west side (behind McDonalds) to get sidewalks
· CIP right lane turn north onto 132nd from 85th
· Undergrounding utilities – to at least be included in the design to provide for it to be added later (with savings)
· Four to five year process, but would include planting strips, sidewalks, trees, lighting, and medians (islands). Medians would have to be very strategically located – with business input.
Sound Transit - to get to 30% design phase.
Council will hold a Study Session on November 3, vote on December 9.
HONDA of KIRKLAND
The Planning Commission voted 5-1 against Honda expansion. Some reasons included:
· N.E. 85th Street Comp Plan just finished three years ago and design standards not finished
· North Rose Hill Comp Plan was finished just this year
· Other Comp Plan private amendments have been denied
· Honda owns the lot, perhaps it should be rezoned to higher density residential to allow cottage or bungalow housing
The City Council is scheduled to vote on this on November 3rd.
DOGS AND PARKS
N.A. member Ellen Glauert, on now on the Dogs & Parks Subcommittee on the Feasibility of Dog Parks, is working to determine dog park needs and possibly arrive at generic standards for a dog park in Kirkland. Chuck Bartlett of the Parks Board reported they are looking at parks and each is being identified with possible designations for “dogs allowed”, “not allowed”, etc.
The N.A. wrote a letter to City that stated until the ball fields are done, and one year trial to access impacts has passed, nothing should be done to the landfill site. Jane Hague has been notified.
Landfill will always be owned by the County; KALL has an agreement with the County.
The question of why is the City of Kirkland trying to put anything on County property was raised. The landfill was closed in 1967 but not closed properly. It has no lining on top or bottom, runoff goes into the landfill park, and water runs off into Bridle Trails State Park. But costs of re-closing it properly would be immense.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SCHOOL WALK ROUTE
Jeanette Simecek has been working with the City to get an asphalt path on N.E. 60th Street just west of Ben Franklin Elementary. Currently there are white lines on gravel marking the proposed pathway. Jeanette will be invited to the December Executive Committee meeting.
BEN FRANKLIN MODERNIZATION
The decision has been made that the current school will be torn down and rebuilt.
The N.A. was able to get some things accomplished, including a horse path and expanding the road.
Jeannette Simecek had submitted letter at Hearing Examiner. The car loop is to the east and the bus loop is to the west, and now sidewalks will allow kids to walk without having to cross the loops.
The new building will be behind the current building to the tree line. On the west side will be huge soccer field.
124th PATHWAY
Not much new to report. A barrier could have been added, but neighbors had voted it down.
ROSE HILL ELEMENTARY MODERNIZATION
The decision to be modernized or completely rebuilt has not yet been determined. Initial pre-design meetings are being held.
I-405 PROJECT
The I-405 Project is moving ahead with design to add another lane and rebuild the N.E. 70th and N.E. 85th interchanges. The next stage, in January, will be Environment design.
· The big issue is a bus rapid transit station at 85th. Would relocate park and ride lot? The Lee Johnson site being looked at for this.
· “Urban interchange” would be added to get rid of the cloverleaf. Removing the existing cloverleaf could allow parking structure.
· Totem Lake is also a big issue, including the proposed 128th HOV interchange.
It was suggested that starting next year, the Neighborhood Association should probably have a subcommittee to address the I-405 Project.
TREES BY HOUGHTON PARK N RIDE
The trees behind the condos were cut down by County workers. A complaint was filed, but the City said this was County property. King County Ombudsman answered that it was done in response to a resident’s complaints, but questions are still be raised about why this was done.
KING COUNTY BUDGET
On October 21st, there will be a King County Budget discussion at Lake Washington High School. Several representatives from the neighborhood plan to attend and will report back.
POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NOVEMBER GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Update on Transfer Station
Update on Dog Issue
Update on Honda
Update on 85th Street/Sound Transit
Ben Franklin Elementary Modernization Update
Rose Hill Elementary Modernization Update
Ball Fields Update
Traffic Calming Update (Don Samdahl to talk with Doug Love to discuss next steps and report back)
N.A. Picnic/Parade
Tree Ordinance (interim)
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Deirdre DeWan Johnson
Secretary