A significant eastside annexation to Kirkland appears to be headed for victory. If successful, Kirkland will become the eastside’s second largest city, after Bellevue.
Under the 1991 Growth Management Act cities are to be the providers of urban services. King County had assigned the affected areas to be Kirkland’s “potential annexation area.” Previously Kirkland resisted annexation based on the financial considerations of serving the larger area. In 2006 the Legislature passed a bill providing incentive funding to such cities. Kirkland stands to gain $40,000,000 as a result of the annexation. The City has said that it was this funding that caused it to advance the annexation.
Of the ballots counted from yesterday's vote, 62% favored annexation and 38% opposed the measure. It takes a 60% vote to approve annexation, so the final word may not come until more votes have been counted. Under King County’s new mail-in balloting system preliminary results were announced only once – at approximately 8:00 pm. The count will be progressively updated as additional votes are tallied.
The annexed area has a population of over 30,000 people. They include the Finn Hill, Juanita and Kingsgate areas. On the north they are bounded by Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville.
For a detailed explanation of the annexation arguments mounted by Kirkland and excellent maps go to http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/CMO/Annexation.htm
