Cougar Sighting

In the wee hours on Monday, 8/1, footage was caught on a resident’s Ring Cam of a cougar walking through their front yard. A report has been filed with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which was forwarded to local officers. The report is a good first step in helping keep the community safe, but there are no guarantees that DFW will remove the animal from our community. Per WDFW, avoiding conflict or negative interactions with any type of wildlife is all about preventing a problem before it occurs. Some strategies to keep yourself, your family, and pets safe are noted below.

If you spot a cougar in the neighborhood, please take a moment to report to the WDFW at the number provided.

Thanks,
Upland Green BOD

Strategies around your property to prevent a negative interaction (edited to align specifically with Upland Green):
• If you have pets, the first step is evaluate your pet-keeping practices. In most situations that WDFW responds to, owners fail to properly secure their pets in an enclosed space at night. Remember, Upland Green Rules & Regs prohibit household pets in common facilities and tracts unless they are on a leash and properly licensed, including house cats.
• Keeping pets in enclosed buildings at night (from dusk to dawn) is the best way to avoid a negative interaction and to coexist with cougars and other carnivores that share our habitats. And remember to periodically inspect and maintain your fence.
• It is extremely important that you deter other wildlife like deer from your property at all times. Do not intentionally or unintentionally feed or shelter wildlife of any kind because you may actually attract carnivores that follow these animals and depend on them to survive. This includes avoiding plantings that deer may like to eat, especially in winter when animals move to lower elevations closer to people.
• Another preventative way to deter conflict is to install a mixture of outdoor lights and motion detection lights. Placing these lights around your walkways and homes tends to make wildlife uncomfortable and stay in forested areas where they are safer.

If you encounter a cougar here are some things to remember:
• Appear as large as possible. Get above the animal (e.g., step up onto a rock or stump). If wearing a jacket, hold it open to further increase your apparent size. If you are in a group, stand shoulder-to-shoulder to appear intimidating.
• Make noise. Shout loudly and clap your hands repeatedly. Making loud sounds is something prey would never do and that discourages an escalation.
• Act like a predator yourself. Maintain eye contact and never run past or away. Aggressively wave your raised arms, throw stones or branches, all without turning away.
• Slowly create distance. Consider whether you may be between the animal and its offspring, or between the animal and its prey or cache. Back slowly to a spot that gives the animal a path to get away, never turning away from the animal. Give the animal the time and ability to move away.
• Protect yourself. If attacked, fight back. Use any kind of weapon like rocks, tree branches, walking sticks, backpacks and even fists to turn the animal away. Pepper spray is also an effective deterrent.

If you need more information call WDFW at 360-902-2200, or to file a report with WILDCOMM at 360-902-2936, Opt. 1.

Upland Green July Board Meeting – Homeowners Open Forum

Please feel free to join the board for an owners open forum on Thursday, July 21, from 7-7:15pm. This is an opportunity for homeowners to bring issues to the board for discussion and consideration.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82289665429…

Meeting ID: 822 8966 5429
Passcode: 746481
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,82289665429#,,,,*746481# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,82289665429#,,,,*746481# US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc5WZgaqjd

Upland Green June Board Meeting – Homeowners Open Forum

Please feel free to join the board for an owners open forum on Wednesday, June 22, from 7-7:15pm. This is an opportunity for homeowners to bring issues to the board for discussion and consideration.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86488998746?pwd=M3XUuklaOM-65QK2wZxGE8DoIGb8pJ.1
Meeting ID: 864 8899 8746
Passcode: 123272

One tap mobile
+12532158782,,85959714861#,,,,*805568# US (Tacoma)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcs2GBqxfb

Upland Green 2022 Annual Budget Ratification Meeting

Please mark your calendar for the VIRTUAL Upland Green 2022 Annual Budget Ratification Meeting

Date: Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Virtual Meeting using Zoom
(Meeting ID: 356 356 4717, Passcode: vwDc6C)

Homeowners have been provided printed materials as noted below:
– A letter from the Board of Directors
– The calendar year 2022 Budget as prepared by the Upland Green HOA Treasurer and approved by Upland Green HOA Board of Directors (will be ratified unless 60% of homeowners reject)
– The ballot for approving or rejecting the Calendar Year 2022 Budget
– Homeowner proxy form

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please return completed ballots and nomination forms as soon as possible, and NO later than November 29, 2021.

Annual Homeowner Meeting

Please mark your calendar for the 2021 VIRTUAL Upland Green HOA Annual meeting

Date:                   Thursday, October 21, 2021

Time:                   7:00 PM

Where:                Virtual Meeting using Zoom

(Meeting ID: 824 8526 9966, Passcode: 852456)

Homeowners have been provided printed materials as noted below:

  • A letter from our association’s attorney
  • A copy of the revised Bylaws (will be ratified unless 60% of homeowners reject)
  • A copy of the Collection Policy for Delinquent Assessment
  • A nomination form for an open Board position. All positions are available.
  • The calendar year 2022 Budget as prepared by the Upland Green HOA Treasurer and approved by Upland Green HOA Board of Directors (will be ratified unless 60% of homeowners reject)

Date:                    Thursday, November 4, 2021

Time:                   7:00 PM

Where:                Virtual Meeting using Zoom

(Meeting ID873 3944 2306, Passcode: 551571)

Please note the budget will be ratified at a special meeting on Thursday, November 4th.

  • The ballot for approving or rejecting the Calendar Year 2022 Budget and Revised Bylaws
  • Homeowner proxy form

Please email suggestions, recommendations, proposals for neighborhood improvement projects and /or subjects for discussion during the 2021 Annual Upland Green Annual meeting to secretary@uplandgreen.org by October 15, 2021.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please return completed ballots and nomination forms as soon as possible, and NO later than October 15, 2021.

City of Kirkland Accepting Neighborhood Safety Project Suggestions

Media Contact:
Joy Johnston
Interim Communications Program Manager
jjohnston@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 979-6562

Projects will improve safety and livability throughout Kirkland

KIRKLAND, Wash. – The City of Kirkland’s Neighborhood Safety Program (NSP) is accepting ideas for projects that will improve the safety and livability in Kirkland’s neighborhoods. Kirkland residents are encouraged to submit their ideas through the OurKirkland interactive map. To do so, click the “Request for Service” blue button and then enter the address for your project selection or use the pin on the map. Then select “Suggest a Project” in the drop-down dialog box and select the type of project. Projects can be submitted at any time during the year.

All suggestions will be shared with the respective Neighborhood Association this fall. Each Neighborhood Association reviews projects at their monthly meetings in the coming months and can select a maximum of two projects totaling less than $50,000 to submit to the Program. Individuals, community organizations, and businesses are encouraged to work directly with their respective Neighborhood Associations to help identify, review, and prioritize NSP projects.  Each Neighborhood Association will identify a Neighborhood Representative to work with other neighborhood representatives and City staff through the Neighborhood Safety Program process in December 2021 through March 2022.

Project idea forms are due from Neighborhood Associations by December 3, 2021 and Neighborhood Associations will start discussions about potential project ideas at their fall meetings. To find your Neighborhood Association, go to the City website and refer to the “Kirkland Neighborhood Association Map” to identify your neighborhood association.

Each year there is a total of $350,000 available for projects citywide under $50,000, including $150,000 funded by the voter approved 2012 Streets Levy.   Projects fall into the following categories:

  • Bicycle Facility: Bike lanes or trails.
  • Crosswalks: New crosswalks, improved crosswalk ramps (ADA), crosswalk islands, and rapid flashing beacons.
  • Intersection Improvement: Signage, parking, and pedestrian “bump outs.”
  • Walkway/Sidewalk and Trail: Gravel trails, steps, curbs, traffic delineators, and sidewalks.
  • Street Lighting: On existing utility poles or installing a light new pole.

Improvements are restricted to City property including streets, parks, community facilities, and the Cross Kirkland Corridor. All projects that were funded through the NSP can be found on the City website. Ideas for traffic calming projects, such as traffic islands, speed cushions, pedestrian “bump outs,” signage, and radar signs, are welcome, but these project types are handled through a different program than the Neighborhood Safety Program.

For more information, contact David Wolbrecht, Senior Neighborhood Services Coordinator at 425-587-3011 or dwolbecht@kirklandwa.gov.

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Please note that we have had reports of both bobcat and coyote sightings in and around our community.  Please take care and be particularly mindful with your children and pets.

A Community of 178 Homes