Why does our city allow contractors and builders walk all over the homeowners of Kirkland?

Buchan Homes is building a development in my back yard and has been able to erect a four-foot retaining wall with a six-foot fence on top of this retaining wall. Buchan does not have to make the wall look like part of the landscape (they said they couldn’t afford it), they do not have to make me aware that they are digging up my back yard and putting this monstrosity 25 feet from my back door.

My family’s safety has been put at risk as we have no fence anymore and are completely exposed to anyone wanting to walk into our yard and our house.

The city of Kirkland has passed me off for two years by saying “this is between you and the contractor,” and “it’s their land and they can do whatever they want with it.”

What about my land? What about my family’s safety? What about my rights as a tax payer? Once again the laws do not protect the homeowners. They have taken away any and all rights of a homeowner. Doing the right thing has become the wrong thing to do.

Buchan and the city of Kirkland are responsible for this mess and they refuse to own it. I just can’t wrap my head around why the city would allow them (Buchan) to get by with treating neighbors this way.

Jane Burgan, Kirkland