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FERGUSON | Kirkland man sentenced for threatening police [5]
Cafe Juanita | Award-winning Kirkland FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015 restaurant to rebuild [8]
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LEGO | Local kids help to create invention to help fidgety kids [7]
Neighbors object to proposed pier near Juanita Beach
Property manager says project would improve ecosystem for natural habitat BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
R
esidents near Juanita Beach Park are protesting a proposal to replace the two current private piers, including one at
the Bel Lago Condominiums, with a new 272 foot private pier, claiming it would impact use of Juanita Beach Park and the nearby open water. Meanwhile, the owner is claiming that his plan is within regulations, look
State commission sets 405 toll rates, audience walks out
better than the current piers and be better for the environment. Ecco Design, Inc. has submitted a Process I Substantial Development Permit application to build the pier at 9049 and 9123 NE Juanita Drive. It
would contain 22 slips for moorage and replace two separate piers. Before city of Kirkland Planning Director Eric Shields decides whether to approve or reject the application for the permit, however,
the public is invited to provide comment on the proposal until April 6. If he decides to reject the permit application, his decision can be appealed to the Shoreline Hearings Board. In order to build the pier, Ecco Design will need to also get a permit
from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers, which they are in the process of obtaining. A petition has already started online opposing the permit with more than 100 signatures. Among the qualms stated [ more PIER page 6 ]
Meeting at Kirkland City Hall gets heated over use of tolls, new HOV capacity said, vehicles are driving at that speed only 60 percent of the time, despite adding The Washington State nine transit centers, 5,000 Transportation Commisnew park and ride parking sion (WSTC) decision to set stalls and 1,700 vanpools the toll rates for Interstate since 2002. Toll rates will 405’s HOV (high-occuadjust depending on traffic pancy vehicle) lanes was in order to maintain the preceded by a mass exodus 45 miles per hour requirefrom attendees who felt ment. their voices had fallen on WSTC also set exempdeaf ears at Kirkland City tions for carpools with Hall on March 18. three or more people, vanPrior to the motion, pools, buses and motorcywhich received no opposing clists. To use the express toll vote, commuters and local lanes without an additional residents lambasted the fee, drivers must have a tolling plan during the Good To Go! account public comment secand a Flex Pass. Cartion as a “regressive pools will also have I-405 and discriminatoto get a transponry” tax that would der to place in the merely exacerbate vehicle. the current traffic The toll will affect congestion. the existing carpool lane on The vote sets the toll I-405 from State Route 522 minimum at 75 cents and to Interstate 5, along with the maximum at $10, albeit two lanes between North90 percent of tolls will be east 6th Street in Bellevue less than $4, according to and SR 522 in Bothell, a Tolling Division Assistant total of 17 miles. Secretary Craig Stone. Left out of the exempOne of the rationales for tions were two-person the toll, according to Stone, carpools during peak hours, is that I-405’s HOV lane which were defined as beis not meeting state and tween 5-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. federal requirements for The mass exodus of vehicles to be traveling at 45 attendees occurred after miles per hour 90 percent WSTC Vice Chair Joe Torof the time. Instead, Stone [ more 405 page 3 ] BY TJ MARTINELL
tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
TOLLS
Parkplace Books co-owner Mary Paris said she wants to keep her store in downtown Kirkland if and when the redevelopment of Parkplace begins. TJ MARTINELL, Kirkland Reporter
Parkplace redevelopment means uncertain future Long-time business owners skeptical, plan to move to other locations BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
For 25 years, Mary Paris has looked out the same doors at Parkplace Books into the plaza. That may come to an end with plans for redevelopment after the Kirkland City Council approved the revised master plan for the redevelopment of Parkplace, as well as zoning amendments. Jim Neal,
one of the principals for Talon Private Capital, said they are now preparing to submit their initial plans to the design review board. The first conceptional design conference is scheduled for May 18. Although many businesses in Parkplace either hope or fully intend to remain once the redevelopment is over, for businesses like
Parkplace Books, which has been there since 1986, the increased rent and costs of moving out and then back are too much. As a result, when redevelopment comes, they plan to find a new location. “To move a bookstore is a huge task,” she said. “We wouldn’t want to do it twice.” For Parkplace businesses, redevelop-
ment has been a long-discussed topic. The numerous failed attempts, however, have left them uncertain of what might actually happen. The last attempt at redevelopment of the site was in 2010, when Touchstone’s master plan was approved by the city. The project was ultimately stopped due to financial reasons, and [ more PARKPLACE page 2 ]