Kirkland plans to expand Juanita Bay wildflower meadow with $34,500 Waste Management grant

Kirkland parks staff described a two‑year plan to expand a wildflower meadow at Juanita Bay Park and asked the council to note that construction and seeding will be staged to test approaches across the site’s microclimates.

Why it matters: Parks staff said the project is intended to improve pollinator habitat, provide visual amenity to attract visitors, and reduce routine mowing costs in portions of the park. Staff said the city applied for and expects to use a $34,500 Waste Management green grant to buy seed and bulbs and to spread costs and site experiments across two planting seasons.

What staff presented Jody Galvin, Interim Parks and Planning and Development Manager, and Jason Filan, parks management superintendent, told the council the pilot focuses on Restoration Management Unit 28 in the western half of Juanita Bay Park. The site includes former golf‑course turf and open lawn; staff said it has many microclimates and is therefore a good testing ground for a range of native species.

Staff described small‑scale trials that began in 2020—different site preparation techniques (aeration, scraping, tilling, engineered wood straw), creation of seeded mounds reminiscent of south Puget Sound “Mima mounds,” and placement of logs to protect seedlings and create photo opportunities to draw visitors away from fragile planted spots. Staff said the seeded patches already show populations of native species including riverbank lupine, camas and fiddleneck, and that some species (such as lupine) have begun to reseed themselves.

Budget and schedule Parks staff said the city applied for a $34,500 Green for Good grant from Waste Management; staff plan to spend that money on seed and bulbs across two planting seasons to limit the risk of a single failed seeding and to test methods. Seed vendors named in the presentation were Northwest Meadowscapes (Port Townsend) and Silver Falls Seed Company (Oregon). Staff said the approach will combine: targeted tilling around known native patches, broadcast seeding of tilled areas in late fall, bulb planting for spring blooms, and selective annual overseeding for color in spring.

Staff also emphasized community engagement. They said neighbors along the park were notified proactively and staff mows perimeter paths and around benches and tables to preserve sight lines and access. Staff said they will monitor results and repeat the farmscale seeding in fall 2025 and again in fall 2026, with a planned mowing of the meadow in late August or early September each season.

Council questions and next steps Council members praised the project and asked whether the city is testing the approach at other sites. Staff said the city has used similar techniques at North Rose Hill woodlands and on difficult‑to‑mow hillsides, and that the parks department will oversee the two‑year pilot and return updates to the council.