The articles by James Truhan were very informative. Having participated in Planning Commission and Design Review Board meetings as a concerned citizen, I truly question the pro-development attitude of the Kirkland City Council and power they give to developers.

It was discouraging to find that I was often the only citizen to speak during a Design Review Board meeting in regards to the Parkplace project.

After two years of citizen participation in the project, I didn’t feel what I had to say really mattered. This hasn’t discouraged me from writing letters to city officials about other development proposals knowing that one day something I have said will make a difference.

My biggest concern over the project was the developer’s attitude at the beginning of the review process. It was implied that downtown would end up with an “ugly” five-story office complex or a wonderful pedestrian-oriented shopping center that would just happen to have seven stories of offices above it.

What a carrot! “Live, Work, Play” was the motto. For those citizens unfamiliar with the future Parkplace project, check out the website: “Envision Parkplace.” It appears that it hasn’t been updated since 2010; nevertheless, the project is still in the works and we will probably see a major construction mess before the end of 2014.

This development may enhance the future of downtown Kirkland in unpredictable ways; growth and change isn’t always a bad thing. Look at Bellevue, a 30-year transformation from a sleepy suburban town to a bustling metropolis.

On the other hand, once one developer gets the exceptions he wants to the zoning code, others will follow. Check out the MRM Private Amendment Request on the city’s website. Do we want another five-story office building downtown or an eight-story apartment complex with a large store on the ground floor? I have no idea what would be best for the city in the long run. “Quaint” often leads to a ghost town of empty storefronts.

I implore my fellow citizens to become a bigger voice in the process. You don’t have to go to meetings. What you do need to do is consider carefully who you vote for when the council election is upon us.

It amazes me how a handful of citizens elected to the council, or appointed to the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board are able to make such sweeping decisions regarding our city’s character.

If you care about the future of Kirkland, contact these individuals and let them know your ideas. More importantly, become involved in the city’s Comprehensive Plan update. This will decide where offices and shops can be developed and where single-family neighborhoods need to be preserved. If enough people speak up, it will make a difference.

Margarette Bull, Kirkland