SOUTH ROSE HILL/BRIDLE TRAILS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

General Meeting - Tuesday, May 9, 2006

 

President Jeanette Simecek called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.  Jeanette introduced the members of the Kirkland City Council in attendance, Mayor Jim Lauinger, Mary‑Alyce  Burleigh, and Jessica Greenway.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

A special thank you to Dana and Rhoda who brought the coffee and cookies!  The flowers are in appreciation for all your hard work!

 

Everyone was reminded to double-check their address on the sign-in list which was passed around.

 

A petition for Clean Air was available for signatures on the back table.

 

Penny Sweet is recruiting volunteers for the Fourth of July parade, picnic and firework Show.  Donors are being sought.

 

The Third Annual South Rose Hills/Bridle Trails Neighborhood Picnic will be held on Saturday, August  12th, from noon until 3:00 p.m. at Lake Washington High School.  Volunteers are encouraged to sign up by calling C. Ray.

 

The ballots for speed cushions on 60th and 122nd just went out.  Don’t forget to vote. 

 

The Planting Committee will be working on the Neighborhood Sign by the park & ride.  Volunteers are being recruited.

 

The Bridle Trails Park Foundation “Party in the Park” will be held on Saturday, June 24th, at 8:00 a.m.    (The Fun Run begins at 9:00 a.m. and Jeanette needs a competitor.)

 

BTPF News – The Seattle Knights will be performing on June 3rd, from noon until 3:00 p.m. They will be jousting in armor with real swords.

 

The Kirkland Triathlon will be going through our neighborhood in September.  If anyone is interested in working a water table to be sponsored by SRHBTNA, please contact Sheila Clooney of the City.

 

A warning flyer is being distributed in the neighborhood asking folks not to feed the raccoons.

 

County Councilmember Jane Hague will hold a Town Hall at Kirkland City Hall on Saturday, May 13th, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.  Discussion items will include Bridle View and Snyder’s Corner.

 

124th Ave N.E. Park - Michael Cogle, Kirkland Parks Department

 

The Parks and Community Services Department is busy planning two parks projects in our neighborhood.  Everyone is invited to attend upcoming meetings to begin the planning process for the two park projects.  Flyers are being passed around.

 

The 124th Avenue Park Property – The last property has been secured and the park site now totals four acres in size.  The process will be to design this year and begin construction next spring.  The property is just south of the Safeway parking lot on 124th.  There currently are homes on the property and some buildings may be saved for possible community use.  Ideas include a children’s playground and a sport court, among others.

 

On Monday, May 22nd at Lake Washington High School, there will be an open house to see what folks would like to see at the park.  There are great opportunities but a limited budget of $470,000.  The prioritization process will include having the Neighborhood come up with ideas and the landscape architect works with Park Board and chooses ideas that fit best.  Eventually the decision goes to City Council.  There is a park naming process too.  Other meetings will be held in the fall, and by the end of the year, they will have the plans.

 

The City’s goal is to have a neighborhood park within a quarter mile of each household.  The Lake Washington School District is working with the City for more useable areas for after-school use at the schools.  The Ben Franklin School park site is a bit different.  The City has been working with School District, elementary schools, contributed City capital dollars to improve the playfield to be better used by our youth sports, and to create higher quality, safer playgrounds.  The 3 ½ acres of playfield was funded by the Park Bond in November of 2002 to serve the underserved neighbors in southern part of the neighborhood.  Ideas include environmental programs, enhancing trails, playground, sports courts, and many others.  The time frame calls for construction to begin summer of 2007.  The playfields are off limits during school.  No lights will be installed.  The public workshop for the park at Ben Franklin will be held on Tuesday, May 23rd.

 

Election of Officers – Andy Held

Every year, the SRHBTNA officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) are up for election for a one-year term.  Directors are up for election for two-year terms as their staggered terms expire.  This year, four directors are up for election.  Andy asked for nominations from the floor for the officers and directors.  After no nominations from the floor were submitted, it was moved to elect, seconded, and voted upon to elect the following Officers and Directors for 2006-2007:  Treasurer – Barb Jones; Secretary – Deirdre Johnson; V.P. – Andy Held; and President – Jeanette Simecek.  The following directors were elected for a two-year term expiring in 2008:  Colleen Cullen, Laura Seitz, C.Ray Allshouse, and Ern Anderson. 

 

Green Kirkland Project - Colleen Cullen

Park Board member and SRHBTNA Director Colleen Cullen lead a discussion of the Green Kirkland Project, featuring a PowerPoint presentation which had been created by Jenny Schroder and Nona Ganz.  The City of Kirkland has 458 acres of parkland including 304 acres of natural areas.  Some of our urban forests are being smothered by ivy.  Most of the trees in the park (an estimated 90% of the tree canopy) are at the end of their lifespan.  Succession trees need light and cannot survive with a surface covered by English Ivy where seedlings don’t have a chance to grow.  The timescale was discussed – if we do/don’t restore our forested parks.  Forested parkland reduces the need for additional stormwater retention.  Trees provide exhaust soot capture and filter carbon.  The value of trees to clean the air is now a value that is traded.  The Plan of Action of Green Kirkland is to assess, purchase, and restore open space.  There is a 20-year-plan to restore Kirkland’s forest and to plant trees by partnering with the City of Kirkland, citizens, and corporate and faith-based organizations.  From May to Oct 2005, there were 715 participants (Starbucks donated coffee).  Ivy vines too big and dense needed to be sawed off.  Best Management Practices (per acre) include Ivy pulls with hand weeding and life rings around the trees with Swiss army knives.  In the fall, we will be planting tree seedlings and other native plants.  It calls for more hand weeding in year three and year four to continue in maintenance mode.  Forested parkland will be great for our grandchildren.  Spread the word!  Ivy pulls are being held every first Saturday of each month during the summer.  For more information, please go to www.ivyout.org

 

Woodland Park Community Playground - Kevin Miller, North Rose Hill

 

The design for the playground was developed with input from kids.  It will be built from truckloads of lumber by volunteers, beginning on Fathers’ Day, June 14th.  Plans include multi-age structures, a walk-on chess board, a tree fort, a castle, an isolated tot area, and a meadow, making it a very nice playground.  A fundraising target was set at $130,000, and so far, $112, 000 has been raised by selling pickets and pavers.  Volunteers are being recruited from any skill level.  Donations are being sought from all sorts of business.  Supporters can contribute benches, pavers ($100), pickets, and chess pavers – all tax deductible.  The tools are to be loaned for five days then returned.  There will be three shifts a day (until dark).  Other volunteer opportunities during the week include staffing the tool shed (checking them in and out), working the volunteer table, or at the potluck.  More information can be found at Playgroundproject.org.

 

Housing Development & Density in the Neighborhood – Jeanette Simecek & Andy Held

Due to a sense of frustration with recent housing development and the proliferation of “McMansions”, a discussion was held on housing density and the zoning code – how can we change it?

 

Ideas included what neighbors like and don’t like: 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Deirdre DeWan Johnson

Secretary