KIRKLAND POLICE BLOTTER | Man arrested for stealing $270 worth of meat, beer from Safeway [8]
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Attic fire | Firefighters douse house fire caused by cigarette in Finn Hill area [7]
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Council votes no new rules for state marijuana business laws BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
W
hile some cities, such as Kent, have voted to completely ban recreational marijuana businesses that sell, process or produce the drug, the Kirkland City Council voted Aug. 6 to keep with current city zones and comply with the rules under Initiative-502.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board was directed under the initiative to come up with a set of rules for these businesses, similar to those for liquor stores. Business owners will be able to apply for licenses on Nov. 18. The rules will likely go into effect soon after, which will outline when, where and how a marijuana business can
operate. Currently, licenses for marijuana operations and sales can only be issued for stores and manufacturing located 1,000 feet from elementary or secondary schools, playgrounds, child care centers, public parks, public transit centers, libraries or any game arcade where minors are allowed.
But Washington cities were given an opportunity to impose additional regulations, such as limiting the hours of operations or banning drivethru’s, by early September. The Council recently voted 5-2 to stay with state law with the mindset that zoning laws could be altered in the future if problems arose. “The Council absolutely
understands that we can make different decisions as time goes by,” said Mayor Joan McBride, who voted in favor of more regulations. “I do think the liquor board was very thoughtful, the Council had a good debate.” Based on the 1,000-feet rule, only very limited spaces are available for marijuana sales in Kirkland. These
include the following areas: limited areas in the Totem Lake Business District on the west side of the I-405 and Northeast 124th Street interchange; the Rose Hill business district along Northeast 85th Street near I-405; the Market Street Corridor Business District located between Fifth Street West and [ more MARIJUANA page 5 ]
Man pleads guilty to killing Kirkland bicyclist in 2011 A Redmond man pleaded guilty on Aug. 5 to vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment for killing a Kirkland bicyclist in December 2011. Nathan Jeremie Godwin, 28, initially pleaded not guilty to striking 36-year-old Bradley J. Nakatani of Kirkland with his SUV in 2011. “… I was the designated driver, but drank alcohol and smoked some marijuana before driving my friend home,” Godwin said in his plea statement. “I was speeding through an intersection and failed to see a bicyclist and hit and killed him.” A King County prosecuting attorney recommended Godwin receive one year of jail time and a $5,000 fine for reckless endangerment and 20 months of jail time with 18 months of community custody for vehicular homicide. Godwin’s sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 6 at King County Superior Court.
“Our condolences go out to Bradley’s family and friends and our thanks go out to the King [County] Prosecutor’s office,” said Kirkland Police Department officials in a Twitter statement on Aug. 7. On Dec. 8, 2011 at around 3 a.m., Godwin sped 60 mph in his SUV east on Northeast 124th Street when he collided with Nakatani and his bicycle, according to Kirkland police investigation records. Nakatani had just turned south onto Slater Avenue Northeast from the street Godwin was on and died of severe trauma. Documents state Godwin originally told police he was sober but that he had taken Suboxone to treat his opiate addiction about six hours prior. After agreeing to a sobriety test and failing, he told police he had drank a “Jeremiah Weed Iced Tea,” an alcoholic beverage. A breath sample revealed he was at 0.078 percent alco[ more HOMICIDE page 3 ]
Kirklanders watch as boats are launched during the Moss Bay Cardboard Boat Regatta at last weekend’s second annual Kirkland Summerfest, put on by the Kirkland Events Foundation. The event included a fish frolic, Shakespeare in the Park, music stages, food trucks, art and more. JANEEN ARCHER, KIRKLAND REPORTER
Debate over solar panels stirs community BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@kirklandreporter.com
Thor Carpenter and his wife cannot ignore their neighbor’s huge solar panel system that rotates in his front yard. It’s not a standard rooftop solar panel and it’s the only one of its kind
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in the city of Kirkland. The square-shaped dual-axis solar array system is more than 16-feet wide and 17-feet tall. The freestanding motorized structure is mounted on a pole and rotates throughout the day, depending on the sun’s position to optimize the sunlight. Sometimes during the day, Carpen-
ter said the solar array reflects light that glares into his master bedroom. Other days, depending on the solar panel’s position, the entire back of his house lights up, he said. “So that’s a lot of surface to be shining at you,” said Carpenter, who has photos he took of the solar panel casting back [ more SOLAR page 3 ]
Lunch special $6.99 (weekdays only)
$25.95 Dinner for 2 (includes Appetizer)
$2 Off Any Plate M-Sat 11am-9pm Sun 12pm-8pm Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with other offers. Expires 08/31/13.
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BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com