Politics & Government
It's Official: Annexation Takes Effect
Finn Hill, Kingsgate and north Juanita became part of the City of Kirkland at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
The Kirkland City Council and other city officials gathered at the intersection of 100th Avenue NE and NE 145th Street in north Juanita early Wednesday morning to unveil a "Welcome to Kirkland" sign and mark the annexation of three northern neighborhoods.
A minute after the stroke of midnight, as annexation took effect after years of debate and controversy, Mayor Joan McBride removed the covering from the street sign to cheers from a small crowd.
The Finn Hill, north Juanita and Kingsgate neighborhoods are now officially part of Kirkland, adding 33,000 residents to the city for a total population of almost 80,000 residents.
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"It's a big deal," said Councilmember Amy Walen as the clock ticked toward 12:01 a.m. "A lot of work went into this, and I think it's good government."
Added Deputy Mayor Penny Sweet: "I think it's about time. I'm excited."
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The unveiling began three days of celebrations marking the annexation. Events include an open house at Wednesday (4-7 p.m.), a business breakfast Thursday (7:30-9:30 a.m.) at , and a community function at on Friday (starting at 3 p.m.). For details, see the cty’s annexation web pages.
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