Kirkland Council candidate Gardiner would bring fresh perspective | LETTER

I feel the council needs change, and Jason Gardiner offers a good start on that path.

I feel the council needs change, and Jason Gardiner offers a good start on that path.

As the leadership of this city, the council continues to cultivate an environment of erratic and biased application of the Kirkland Comprehensive Plan, and local and state codes.

The city council drags out “vision” when it’s convenient and sounds good, and then tosses it aside when a bully developer wants to put the Bellevue stamp on the city with a project that will never deliver on the propaganda and hype that was used to sell it.

The Building Department strictly enforces codes until they think it’s a good idea to issue a building permit for a rental-style tent as a pool enclosure at a home-based swimming school, regardless of the impact on the residential character of the neighborhood or property values of surrounding homes.

The Kirkland Comprehensive Plan, Kirkland Zoning Code, and other codes are in place to provide the vision, goals and policies for managing growth in Kirkland. They are not meant to be applied just when it is convenient.

Kirkland City Council must be willing to stand firm and get rid of this culture of “subjective enforcement” in order to regain its position as a city of high quality neighborhoods with a vibrant business district.

Jason Gardiner brings a fresh perspective that will question the ingrained practices that are driving Kirkland away from the vision that once made this city the Jewel of the Eastside.

Cindy Smith, Kirkland