HoughtonLives
kirkland, WA
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HNA’s Next Meeting
Wednesday, March 11th, 2025 from 6:00- 8:00pm
Northwest University: HSC Auditorium
5520 108th Ave NE, 98033 Kirkland
We invite you to the next Houghton Neighborhood Association (HNA) neighbor meeting on March 11th 6pm, at Northwest University HSC Auditorium (directions to the right) where we will discuss topics near and dear to you related to the planned Permanent Supportive Housing site at the former La Quinta location. This is an important issue for the neighborhood that impacts everybody in South Kirkland.
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AGENDA: |
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5:30pm – Arrival and meet your neighbors! |
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6:00pm – Welcome |
| 6:10pm – Emerson School Project |
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6:20pm – Houghton Village Update |
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6:30pm – King County, City of Kirkland, Plymouth Presentation |
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6:50pm – Panel Q&A with King County, City of Kirkland, and Plymouth |
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7:15pm – Open Q&A |
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Latest news on La Quinta Project |
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The Houghton Neighborhood Association needs you! Our association is all volunteers, and we need your help to keep each other informed and engage on causes that matter to you, and to improve Houghton. No time is too little. Please indicate your interest via this survey https://bit.ly/HNAsurvey. We thank you on behalf of Houghton! |
Updates
Summer Soiree 2024
July 14, 2024
Changes to the Houghton Neighborhood Plan
July 8, 2024
Houghton Neighborhood Plan Update (FYI, and call to action):
City of Kirkland planning staff have successfully convinced City Councilmembers to approve a new neighborhood planning process. Previously, changes to the plan (which happen once a decade) would include thorough discussions with residents, whereas now city planners have worked in isolation and proposed revisions to our (and other) neighborhood plans. We have attached to this email a PDF of the Neighborhood Plan with the Planning Commission’s edits in red.
While the HNA will respond to the city with point by point feedback, we request you also write to the planning commission with your thoughts (see how at end of this email).
Here are the HNA’s main concerns:
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- Woven throughout are language changes that promote high density, which does not reflect the feedback we hear consistently from neighbors. As an example, references to “medium density” have been replaced with “higher density” throughout. We are not clear what consequence this change could have over the next 10 years.
- The city planners are moving Transportation and Infrastructure to a different portion of the Comprehensive Plan, indicating it’s not a neighborhood issue. HNA believes this is a key issue for us, as both these topics should be discussed together with density. Specifically – the thoroughfares serving Houghton are 1 lane each direction, and already get quite busy during school / office hours. We are not sure how Houghton can sustain increased density without wider roads. Please see the city circulated rendering of how the 108th/68th intersection would look like with 5 story buildings. We ask – how will our infrastructure handle the increased volume? We are dissatisfied with the suggestion that visitors will use public transport, there has been no specifics on how that will become a viable option for Houghton / surrounding residents.
- There is an implication that increased density leads to greater affordability. We feel this should be a discussion with examples, we have seen contrasting views among our neighbors.
- The commission has been removing references to Houghon’s character, and replacing the word “density” with “intensity”. We are not clear what this new language specifically means, and how it affects the city’s plans for Houghton.
- The previous plan’s language to “buffer” NWU activities on all sides to reduce visual, noise, privacy impact to surrounding residents has been replaced with a call for “thoughtful design”, which feels very un-specific.
Lastly, we believe this new siloed approach to planning minimizes resident engagement instead of increasing it. Neighborhoods are asked to review the changes proposed by planning commissioners offline, respond with questions and edits and find more ways to engage on their own.
In addition to the above concerns, HNA has made the following requests:
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- We have asked for 108th to be renamed Houghton Boulevard, to enhance a visible neighborhood marker which will enhance the neighborhood character.
- We have asked the neighborhood to be formally renamed Houghton from legacy Central Houghton, as there are no other surrounding Houghtons necessitating the “Central” modifier.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: By July 10th, send a personal letter to the planning commissioners with your remarks.
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- Talk about why you live in Houghton (what creates its character), what changes you object to, and anything else you’d like to see or share.
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- Please cc: centralhoughton@gmail.com
City rendering of 5 stories throughout the Houghton Commercial Center
THANK YOU
Houghton Neighborhood Association
Donate! Houghton Neighborhood Association is a 501c4. Donations large or small help us fund operations and activities to support our mission. Thank you to our neighbors who have donated!
Zelle centralhoughton@gmail.com. Venmo @Houghton-NA. PayPal centralhoughton@gmail.com
Social: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/houghtonlives/, Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376693919236398, Nextdoor https://nextdoor.com/neighborhood/centralhoughtonwa–kirkland–wa/ Website www.houghtonlives.com
HNA Kirkland City Council Forum (Mon 10/16, 6pm) – What questions do you want asked?
September 27, 2023In recognition of the importance of local politics and civic engagement, The Houghton Neighborhood Association (HNA) is hosting a Kirkland City Council Candidate Forum on Monday October 16th, 2023 at 6pm at the International School gym. At the Forum, Houghton residents will be able to learn more about Kirkland City Council Candidates positions, perspectives and views.
So we can make best efforts to focus the Forum on the questions & topics that are most important to you, please let us know any specific questions or general topics you’d like to be included in the Forum by completing this quick survey
The following candidates have confirmed they will attend:
Position 2: Kelli Curtis & Catie Malik
Position 4: Toby Nixon & John Tymczyszyn
Position 6: Amy Falcone & Ryan James
June Newsletter
August 2, 2023 Final-HNA-FYI-Newsletter-June-2023Read More
Houghton Summer Soiree July 30
July 19, 2023You are invited! It’s the “HNA Summer Soirée” – formerly known as the Houghton Neighborhood Association Annual Picnic.
Sunday, July 30th from 4-9pm at the Northwest University Campus. Bring your family and friends to join your neighbors for food, live music, arts & crafts, games and prizes. Bring your picnic blanket or chairs and plan to spend the day with the heart of your community – HOUGHTON!
This year we have so many new and exciting things to bring to you this year:
- FOOD TRUCKS: Cascadia Pizza and Tacos El Güero
- GOURMET ICE CREAM: Street Treats Seattle
- Bring your own Picnic or buy food on site
- LIVE MUSIC: “The Sliding Eights” and Local Kirkland Youth Jazz Musicians
- DOOR PRIZES: From Local Houghton Businesses
- Lake Washington Physical Therapy’s: Kid’s Obstacle Course
- LOCAL VENDORS: Selling custom jewelry, art and other handmade crafts
(Inspired Jules, Karribean Designs, Packing Penguins, Maltby Made, Packing Penguins and more…)
- “Bike & Scooter Skills Course”
- PLAY: Volleyball, Tennis, Pickleball, Basketball, frisbee… bring your yard games
This is your opportunity to spend an afternoon and evening with neighbors, family, friends of Houghton and beyond.
Come be a part of this amazing and vibrant Houghton community we call HOME. Everyone is Welcome. See you there!
Sunday, July 30th
4-9pm
Northwest University Campus / 5520 108th Ave NE
HNA May 9, 2023 Meeting Agenda
May 3, 2023Hi Everyone
The next CHNA meeting is back in person on May 9th (Tue) at the NorthWest U campus. Please see the poster below for details, and map below it for where this is.
Our agenda is:
6:30p-7p Arrivals & Social
7-7:15 Welcome, New Board Elections & Bylaws
7:15-7:30 Key topics of interest from the new Board
7:30-8:30 Community conversation with featured guest Kirkland Police Department Lt. Troy Knafla
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Please pass this on to your neighbors!!
Haris Husain
Vice President, CHNA
April Newsletter
May 2, 2023 HNA-FYI-Newsletter-April-2023Download Read MoreHNA Annual Meeting May 9, 2023
May 1, 2023Our annual meeting will be held on May 9, 2023, starting at 6:30 PM. We will meet in-person in the Argue Health Science Center (5600 111th Ave NE, Room 231) on the campus of Northwest University (see below map).
The business portion of the meeting will include review of proposed amendments to our Bylaws to clarify that the President and Vice President positions must be held by people that reside within the CHNA boundaries. A copy of the proposed revisions to the Bylaws is provided below.
We also will be electing CHNA’s Board at the meeting. As noted at our March 23 meeting, several members have stepped up to volunteer to lead CHNA. Please let us know (at the meeting or by email- centralhoughton@gmail.com ) if you are interested in a Board position or other role to help out.
The majority of the meeting will be A Conversation About Community Safety With The Kirkland Police Department.
Come and join us to listen, ask questions, and get involved to help make a difference in our community.
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Houghton Neighborhood Association. The website is not operated by the City of Kirkland and the City of Kirkland is not responsible for any of its content, features, functionality, or applications.
*Please note that the default day for meetings is the second Tuesday of the months of September, November, January, March, and May. To be timely, we may call special meetings to discuss topics of major neighborhood interest.
Also note, HNA does not typically meet during July and August, unless there is a specific immediate topic to share.