I am a strong advocate for annexation to Kirkland, having lived on Finn Hill for 22 years and having watched as development occurs in King County with little attention to the traffic, access and mobility needs of the neighborhood. The county’s benign neglect of arterials, pedestrian connections and overall operation, particularly near new development, has increased traffic congestion. For example, the newest drive-in Starbucks on 100th Avenue N.E. results in queues that back up into a busy intersection. With annexation to Kirkland, I look forward to and expect a higher level of community input and involvement for land-use issues and neighborhood planning. We have established neighborhoods in the annexation area, but the planning for parks, land use, transportation improvements and overall vision has been out-of-date for 15-plus years, as the county has turned its attention to other areas. Please join me in supporting annexation to Kirkland for Finn Hill, Juanita and Kingsgate areas to bring a local level of control to land-use issues and community planning efforts.

Katherine Casseday, Finn Hill