SOUTH ROSE HILL/BRIDLE TRAILS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

General Meeting - Tuesday, May 10, 2005

 

President Bruce Feuling called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.  Bruce introduced the SRHBTNA Officers in attendance.  He also introduced Mayor Mary-Alyce Burleigh and Kirkland City Council Member Jessica Greenway.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Dana and Rhoda for, once again, bringing the refreshments to our meeting and to the new Starbucks on 85th Street for donating the coffee.

 

The KIRKLAND SIDEWALK BOND EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE will be holding an open house tomorrow from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Kirkland Maintenance Center.

 

The SRHBTNA is a sponsor of the Bridle Trails Foundation’s “Party of the Park” to be held at the Park on Saturday, June 25th, beginning at 8:00 am.  Events will include lady ropers, the Queen of the Ellensburg rodeo & her princesses, dog flyball, a pancake breakfast, a fun run, and much more.  Flyers are available in the back of the room.

 

UPDATES

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT – Dave Ramsay
Dave gave updates about what is happening around town.  In the northern part of the City, annexation is the big topic.  The City has been considering annexing Finn Hill, Kingsgate and Juanita, but these residential areas don’t pay for themselves; they need commercial activity.  Possible legislation on surtax on utility bills died, so annexation is now on hold, except for a very small area of seven homes called Morningstar.

 

Juanita Village – The first phase is done and the second phase is now almost complete.  Juanita Beach Park – Because of the Park Bond we will be able to staff it and it is going through a Master Plan.  It was once the #1 site on Lake Washington and the City wants to bring that back.  Totem Lake – is witnessing lots of activity.  Evergreen Medical Center has finished its master plan and has begun major construction.  A medical office is going up.  A new overpass at 128th will have a direct access ramp to improve transit.  Totem Lake Mall’s new owner, Developer Diversified Realty (DDR), overhauls malls and hopes to revive Totem Lake Mall. (You are encouraged to write letters to the new mall owners with suggestions.)  For information, please visit

www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/planning/totemlakemall.htm

 

The former site of the hardware store is becoming the home for a gaming company (Halo) owned by Microsoft.  The hotel at Third and Kirkland is not quite ready to go.  The Big White Ship will hopefully leave this summer and they will be putting in an environmentally friendly breakwater. 

Central Way, from Sixth to Market, will be undergoing utility work to improve the look of the street, including adding medians, sidewalks, and underground the wiring.  The Transit Center will be designed where it currently is.  The Wednesday Market is doing great and is the fifth most successful market in the entire state.

 

NE 85th – Sound transit is working to improve 85th from 132nd to the freeway.  In 2006 the construction begins to improve the look and design.  They are looking into undergrounding the utilities on 85th (approx. $3 million).  They are trying to balance traffic with pedestrians and get the signals timed to help the Sound Transit 540 bus to get through traffic.  It will go before Council later this year.  There is a rumor that Starbucks is doing so well at its present site on 85th that they are looking for another site. 

 

The City/School Partnership – The City is working with Lake Washington School District as they modernize the schools. The City takes over their playground and converts it to a City Park for the community to use in the evenings.  School/City projects include Best School, Juanita Elementary, and Kirkland Junior High. 

 

Equestrian Overlay Zone – Design regulations are not being adhered to.  A 5-6 member committee is being formed to sit down and look at things. 

 

Traffic Calming Measures – Ellen McMahon is working with two camps in the neighborhood.  They are starting with education and enforcement and monitoring its success, and then possibly proposing a set of traffic calming devises.  In Bridle Trails, Ellen is now working with residents concerned about NE 60th, and between 60th and 70th on 122nd.

 

Sidewalk Bond Feasibility Committee will be polling to find out what looks important to the community regarding sidewalks.  They have an Open House scheduled for tomorrow.

 

Parks – The Houghton natural area has a severe ivy problem and everyone is invited to an ivy pulling party.  Watershed Park received a $400,000 grant (anonymously).  McAuliffe Park is a gem and the master plan process is starting.  The City may be bringing back a little farm, a low-key restaurant, a gardens overnight stay place, and other ideas.  Waverly is in the first phase of a restoration which will upgrade landscaping, benches, etc. 

 

116th AVENUE UPDATE - Don Anderson, City of Kirkland

To make it safer, the plan is to rebuild 116th.  The road will have two lanes and bike lanes on each side, curbs & gutters, and on the east side, sidewalk from 67th south.  The west side gets curb and gutter with underground storm water drainage to 64th.  South of 64th to 60th, the developer is to develop it when the large property redevelops.  From the Transfer Station, their goal to have a pedestrian path on north side of 60th which will tie into the corner.  The timeline will be three months estimated duration.  The turning radius at the corner of 60/116 is not going to be changed

 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Jeanette Simecek

Officer nominations included President – Jeanette Simecek, Vice President – Andy Held, Secretary - Deirdre Johnson, and Treasurer - Barb Jones.  For Election of Directors, three of the six director positions (for two year terms) were open.  Elected to serve two years were Loraine Trosper, Don Samdahl, and Ern Anderson.

 

SPECIAL PRESENTATION - Jeannette presented outgoing President Bruce Feuling with a clock engraved with a message from the Board of the N.A.  Bruce encouraged everyone to “Get involved!”   

 

HOUGHTON TRANSFER STATION M.O.U. UPDATE - Bruce Feuling,
The MOU is an agreement between City and County and in order for the County to release improvement money, they need to have a signed document in place.  The agreement, negotiated by Jane Hague, said that until level of service came down, there would be no improvements.  The goal is to reduce solid waste to 135,000 tons a year.  The facility was designed for 99,000 tons, but had gone up to 189,000 tons.  Another issue is the Solid Waste trucks in front of elementary school.  The Task Force is working with Rabanco and Waste Management to reroute trucks.  Another issue is to prohibit overnight parking, the only exception being the two in the pit.  Also a pathway is being planned for the north side of 60th.  They will add a sound wall on west side of transfer station  to mitigate noise and the Division staff will be discussing landscaping.  They are also trying to establish criteria by which all five transfer stations can be evaluated.


 

 

KITH SEVEN HILLS OF KIRKLAND BIKE RIDE  – Jim McElwee invited everyone to participate in the May 30th bike ride benefiting transitional housing.

 

BEN FRANKLIN SCHOOL – has six more weeks of school.  On the last day teachers, staff, and supplies are moving into new school.

 

SRHBTNA PICNIC – Picnic Committee Chair Bruce Feuling is looking for volunteers interested at all in helping with preparations for the July 30th picnic. 

 

PARK SUBCOMMITTEE will be forming sometime in the fall to give input on the park property on 124th as well as the park by Ben Franklin.    

 

A QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE came up about N.E. 85th Street.  The Action Team is 25 members responsive to businesses and neighbors, including our N.A. representatives.  Upcoming things to look for include a June 28th public hearing, a hearing before the Planning Commission in July, and going to the Council in September. 

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:53 p.m

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Deirdre DeWan Johnson,

Secretary