Juanita and Finn Hill Split From Kirkland in Final County Districting Plan

Despite pleas from neighborhood leaders and residents, the King County Districting Committee has split Finn Hill and much of Juanita from the rest of Kirkland in re-drawing boundaries for County Council districts.

That means the northwest corner of Kirkland, which joined the city on June 1 through annexation, will no longer be represented on the council by Jane Hague, who has long been active in Finn Hill affairs.

Rather, Finn Hill and much of Juanita have been moved out of Hague’s District 6 to District 1 to the north, represented by Bob Ferguson.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Scott Morris, speaking as a Finn Hill resident and not in his capacity as president of the Denny Creek Neighborhood Association. “Finn Hill was moved from (District) 1 to 6 in the ‘90s because people realized the neighborhood’s interests were more closely aligned with Kirkland. It would be much better for the annexation areas of Kirkland to have one council member focused on being a liaison with the city.”

It appears that Kirkland will now be represented by three County Council members--Hague for Kirkland proper, Ferguson for Juanita and Finn Hill, and Kathy Lambert, whose District 3 now apparently includes the Kingsgate area. And some say that could be a positive development, vesting more members of the council in the city’s interests.

But Morris said Hague’s involvement in Juanita and Finn Hill issues will be missed. “She’s always had a good feel for what was important to the neighborhood,” he said.

The districting committee was appointed earlier this year to redraw the county districts and balance their populations based on the 2010 federal census. It unanimously approved its final redistricting plan and on Wednesday evening released a map of it.

In a press release announcing the adoption of the final plan, committee Chair Terrence Carroll said, “No districting plan can be perfect, but the  committee made every effort to conduct its business openly, to listen to the public and use their ideas when possible, and to draw districts that truly serve the people of King County.”

The press release said the committee made numerous changes in early drafts based on public comments, including keeping north-end suburban cities in one district and the Snoqualmie Valley cities in one district. It also said the committee made changes to “re-unite communities of interest.”

Ferguson issued a press release Wednesday night welcoming his new constituents.

“It is an honor to serve the people of District 1, and I am eager to hear from residents about what matters to them,” said Ferguson. “It is important to me that I keep the lines of communication open with the people I represent. I encourage folks to visit my web site, where you can sign-up for my monthly e-News, or to give me a call or email.”

Ferguson is a Northwest native and University of Washington graduate, who has worked as director of an emergency services center, clerked for two federal judges and worked at a Seattle law firm before being elected to the King County Council in 2003. He lives in Seattle’s Maple Leaf neighborhood.

Morris said he and other Finn Hill residents active in the community will reach out to Ferguson.

“We will be energetic in working with Ferguson’s office to educate them on our issues,” Morris said.

Hague, recently re-elected and considered a close ally to the city of Kirkland, was heavily involved in the annexation process. She has also been active in many Finn Hill issues, including the acquisition as public land of the Juanita Woodlands, and projects to improve fish habitat on Denny Creek.