Know what’s happening in Kirkland — without watching the four-hour meeting.
Plain-language summaries of council and planning decisions, source documents you can check yourself, and the deadlines that matter to your neighborhood.
This week in Kirkland
Updated every Monday
Tue, Jul 21 — City Council regular meeting. Study session 5:30 p.m., regular 7:30 p.m., City Hall + Zoom.
Wed, Jul 22 — Transportation Commission regular meeting.
Tue, Aug 4 — Primary election ballots due. Drop boxes close 8 p.m.
13 — Neighborhoods covered
4 — Plain-language issue explainers
100% — Volunteer-written
0 — Candidate endorsements
Understand the issues
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Housing & Zoning
What state mandates require, what Kirkland’s elected officials control, and how density decisions get made.
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Taxes & MFTE
Where property-tax dollars go, how the Multi-Family Tax Exemption works, and who ultimately pays.
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Transit & Traffic
Metro service changes, the 2044 growth targets, and whether infrastructure is keeping pace.
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Schools & Services
How different housing types shape school enrollment — and what that means for neighborhood services.
Latest analysis
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What We Might Be Missing About “Boomers” and Housing in Kirkland
The economics behind why older residents stay — and why affordability crosses generations.
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How Much Public Review Is Enough?
A Seattle proposal to limit environmental appeals raises a question Kirkland just lived through.
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We’re Saying YES to “Enough.”
A labeled perspective piece on transparency, balance, and what residents are asking of their city.
“Our job is to increase understanding, not agreement.”
Primary sources first
Every article links the agendas, packets, votes, and records it draws on — so you can verify our work, not take our word for it.
Fact, analysis, opinion — labeled
We separate what happened from what we think it means, and we tell you which is which, every time.
Corrections, openly
Accuracy beats speed. When we get something wrong, we fix it and note what changed.
Take part
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Speak at a meeting
How public comment works, when to sign up, and what to expect — a two-minute guide.
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Comment in writing
Current comment periods and surveys, with deadlines and direct links to submit.
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Join the conversation
Our Facebook group is where neighbors share updates between articles.
Cherish Kirkland
An independent, volunteer-led civic organization helping residents of all thirteen Kirkland neighborhoods understand local government.
Cherish Kirkland is not a political action committee, does not endorse candidates, and is not affiliated with the City of Kirkland or any political party.