Heritage Hall
Don
Winters called the meeting to order and noted the large turnout. Don mentioned that the Moss Bay
Neighborhood Association is in need of officers, especially a chairperson.
Anyone interested should contact Don at winters58@hotmail.com.
Some new information was available on the sale of Green
Funeral Home, which informed sources tell us is set to close down at the end of the
year. The sale does appear to be more than a rumor. The CamWest project slated
for the old Pace site is said to be still "on track", but awaiting
resolution of environmental issues related to its former use as a chemical
factory.
Our
first speaker was Danielle Sanine of the Kirkland Senior Council. Danielle
briefed us on the upcoming "Baby Boomers and Beyond Healthy Living
Expo" which will he held Oct. 2, 10AM to 3PM at the Kirkland Community
Senior Center, 352 Kirkland Ave. It's free and will feature free health
screens, speakers, demos, food and resource booths focused on key issues
important to those 50 years of age and up.
Jerry
O'neill was next to speak. Jerry lives on 7th Ave. S. and has been following
the zoning request of Lakeshore Clinic on State Street. Lakeshore wants the
zoning of the area changed from medium to high density. Jerry had some
concerns that the higher density would not be appropriate for the area along
State, and questioned the process by which such decisions are made, as well as
how the Growth Management Act guidelines are implemented at the local level.
Carolyn
Hayek, a member of the Kirkland Planning Commission, took the podium to shed
more light on the Lakeshore zoning issue. Carolyn said the Planning Commission
had decided to recommend "no rezone" for the area and that the City Council
would rule on the issue soon. Carolyn mentioned that the commission had received
many letters opposing the rezone and none in favor, other than from the
owners of the clinic. A possible compromise at 18 units per acre (halfway
between medium and high density) that could have given the City some power to
save the Green Funeral Home building, which is located in the same planning
area, was rejected. Carolyn next briefed us on the "Central Way
Narrowing" issue. A utility project is about to begin on Central in the
downtown area and parts of the narrowing process will be integrated. One
eastbound lane will be closed with "paint" as a test process.
Carolyn mentioned that the controversial proposal to close a westbound lane
has been abandoned, due to worries of Norkirk neighborhood members of
increased 'cut through' traffic.
Rob
Horwitz of "Eastside Friends of Lake Washington" was our next
speaker. Rob updated us on that group's opposition to the massive sports
complex planned for Magnuson Park in Seattle. The Seattle City Council
approved a plan for the complex but much reduced in scope, with seven lighted
fields instead of eleven that the Parks Dept. had proposed. EFLW was
responsible for generating much of the support that resulted in this
reduction. For more information, visit their web site at www.eastsidefriends.org
George
Lawson of the Downtown Action Team was on hand to give us updates on several
projects. The Hotel planned for the corner of 3rd Street and Kirkland Ave (Old
Hospital site), and the retail / residential project slated for the opposite
corner (75 State St.) are still on track and ground breaking should take place
at any time. George mentioned the Lakeshore Plaza plan to lid the parking lot
at Marina Park and create a large pedestrian esplanade as well as additional
space for shops and park amenities. The project is still in the planning phase
and is "at least five years out". A price tag of between 26 and 34
million dollars has been estimated, and most of the cost of the project can be
financed from the revenues from parking fees and rental income from
commercial spaces on the lid, making this a good "bang
for the buck" project.
Two
other projects on the drawing boards in Kirkland were discussed, the
"Safeway" project (see last meeting's minutes),
and the Lake and Central Project. Several people commented on both with some
in favor and others opposed. The main complaint on the Safeway project was the
large size, while the Lake and Central also drew size worries, as well as
concerns about the appropriateness of a supermarket on that site.
Our
next meeting will he held Monday, November 15, 7PM at Heritage Hall.
Meeting
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