Some of the issues that surround annexation could be considered rubbish for some people. But the impending switch from Allied Waste Services to Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) is truly a garbage issue.

The City of Kirkland is currently in negotiations with WMI on a new long-term solid waste contract. An agreement on a new contract will increase the WMI service area as annexation area residents will officially be Kirkland residents after June 1, 2011.

A series of negotiation sessions with WMI have been scheduled over the next three months and both parties have committed to completing the expedited negotiation process by the end of 2010. Approximately 1,200 annexation residents do not currently receive curbside garbage service and elect to take their waste to transfer stations themselves. The city will require those annexation residents to subscribe to the service after the date of annexation in accordance with Kirkland Municipal Code. Ray Steiger, interim Public Works director, pointed out that curbside service is equal to or less than the cost of self-hauling.

Annexation boundaries

Assistant City Manager Marilynne Beard told the Kirkland City Council during its meeting Tuesday that the issue of dividing the annexation neighborhoods will take more time.

“It has become complicated,” said Beard. “(There have been) a number of great issues that people have raised.” As a result, the Planning Commission will take six months more to try and resolve the outstanding issues. The main issue is the size of the neighborhoods, where the boundaries should be located and how exactly to divide some neighborhoods.

“I have a concern about mega neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Dave Asher. “It just feels like we have to adjust a number of processes if, like with Finn Hill, we have 13,000 residents in one neighborhood. I am worried about the sense of community.”

Finn Hill is the largest neighborhood in dispute, but Beard told the council that with the Denny Creek Alliance the area has built-in representation. Beard also said the meetings with annexation residents were well attended. The council was also informed that the Planning Commission is leaning toward not dividing the Totem Lake neighborhood. The Totem Lake neighborhood is primarily a business district. Johanna Palmer, who was the Chair of the Annexation Yes group, told the council during the public comment portion that Totem Lake is a lot like the business district on 85th Street in Kirkland and should be treated as such by being divided into other neighborhoods. Palmer cited that N.E. 85th Street divides North and South Rose Hill and compared that to 405 and 124th dividing Totem Lake.