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When "Legal Avenues" Becomes the Only Answer
There's a phrase that comes up often in the bylaws meeting, and it always sounds reasonable on its face: if you disagree, there are legal avenues.
friendsofkenlake
Aug 225 min read


We Get to Make Our Own Rules
For the last several months, a small group of neighbors has been working through Lakemoor's bylaws line by line — comparing our current document against state law, against other associations' bylaws, and against the question that matters most:
Does this actually protect the neighborhood, or does it just exist?
friendsofkenlake
Aug 64 min read


Public Meeting about the Kaiser Woods Trail
Neighbors can attend in person or on Zoom. Many neighbors have already submitted comments.
friendsofkenlake
Jun 141 min read


Let's Talk About Committees
Washington law recognizes two fundamentally different kinds of committees, and the distinction changes everything.
friendsofkenlake
May 293 min read


The Bylaws Revision: First Look
Sound Legal has returned bylaws revision language for us to review. The board has proposed addressing the articles section by section, with discussion in board meetings. Here is what we found and how you can participate.
friendsofkenlake
May 64 min read


Update on the Kaiser Woods Trail
If an existing community asset can be rejected without a full cost or impact analysis, what process governs decisions about other assets?
friendsofkenlake
Apr 2212 min read


We Might Lose The Kaiser Woods Trail
Since January, we have been watching the board enter executive session to discuss issues pertaining to private lots. One of the persistent topics has been a 'declaration of covenant' for lot 2151 - which you may remember better as the Kaiser Woods Trail.
friendsofkenlake
Apr 154 min read


HB 2118 Would Protect Homeowners
At its core, HB 2118 limits an HOA’s ability to retroactively tighten use restrictions on homeowners without their consent. For Ken Lake, that touches several real and recurring areas of friction.
friendsofkenlake
Jan 123 min read


Not Ken Lake: Housing Proposed on Black Lake Blvd
This weekend, JOLT reported a proposed multifamily housing development at the corner of Black Lake Boulevard and 21st Avenue SW. We’re paying attention, and here’s what we know and what comes next.
friendsofkenlake
Jan 115 min read


“There is no zoning crisis" : Planning Meeting Recap 1/6/26
Gowrylow stated “There is no zoning crisis, the city is not pulling a fast one on us as far as I can tell.”
This is a stark contrast to Gowrylow's earlier position that the city upzoning would mean "crowded streets and parks."
friendsofkenlake
Jan 85 min read


The Governance Committee Begins Work
The governance committee is recruiting members to work on it's subcommittees, making recommendations in direction as well as in the language that we will use to support each other for the next decade.
friendsofkenlake
Dec 25, 20252 min read


Sunshine Laws and Our HOA
Sunshine laws are rules that make decision-making easy for the public to see. In Washington, two sets of rules often get mixed together:
The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA, RCW 42.30)
The Homeowners’ Association Act (RCW 64.38)
Only the second one applies to HOAs, but both help us understand how meetings should work and how to keep things open and clear for everyone.
This article explains what each law does and what it means for our meetings, hybrid formats, a
friendsofkenlake
Dec 9, 20255 min read


After the Storm
The lake is refilling, and with flood warnings throughout the county, we thought it was a good moment to highlight our stormwater system here in Ken Lake.
Ken Lake has 14 stormwater catch basins, each about the size of a dining table. These basins drain into the lake, which is why the Lake Committee recommends limiting fertilizers and chemical treatments.
It is everyone's responsibility to keep storm drains clear.
friendsofkenlake
Dec 9, 20251 min read


Multiplex Feasibility
The reality: it’s extremely hard—and usually financially pointless—to build a four-plex here. Residents can relax.
friendsofkenlake
Nov 2, 20253 min read


Ken Lake Parks for Ken Lake Residents
The parks are private to the Ken Lake community — let's keep the parks private.
friendsofkenlake
Nov 1, 20252 min read


Is MultiFamily Housing Happening?
Our neighborhood deserves a smart strategy for long term protection.
friendsofkenlake
Oct 24, 20254 min read


Welcome to Friends of Ken Lake!
Dear Neighbors, My name is Evan Clifthorne, and about a year ago I teamed up with a handful of Ken Lake neighbors to establish the Friends of Ken Lake as a booster club for our unique and beautiful community. We figured that if you can have a booster club for sports, the arts, the sciences, and even non-profits, then why couldn't we also have a booster club for a neighborhood? We founded this group to support and advocate for Ken Lake community members around five key areas
friendsofkenlake
Oct 22, 20252 min read
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