Land Use

In Kirkland's Comprehensive Plan, the Land Use Element policies promote: 

• Addressing regional population and employment targets and needs.
• Community growth and redevelopment in an orderly and balanced manner.
• Equitable access to jobs, housing, services, parks, and economic opportunity.
• The protection of Kirkland’s natural environment and resources.
• Open spaces that are connected and utilized by people and wildlife.
• The development of government, public, and community facilities.

   

Important Land Use Topics for our Kirkland 2044 Update

Kirkland is a rapidly growing community with much-loved open spaces, a vibrant Downtown and other urban centers, and improving transit and bike access. Although Kirkland is an immensely livable place, job growth in the region has led to escalating housing costs and increased commutes for community members who can no longer afford to live in Kirkland. The primary challenge in the Land Use Element will be designing future growth in a way that keeps and improves what people already love about Kirkland, but provides additional opportunities for new housing and jobs that are well connected to the region. Other key issues and questions the Land Use Element will address include:  

In addition to the topics above, City Council and Planning Commission have directed City staff to explore the following study issues that may result in updates to existing Land Use Goals and/or Policies: 

• Citywide affordable housing requirements, including potential for requirements in low-density zones;
• Policies to stimulate production of missing middle housing types;
• Consolidating low-density residential zones for more uniform development regulations in similar zones citywide;
• Exploring appropriate uses and densities on existing neighborhood commercial-oriented sites, along and within walksheds of transit corridors, around parks/open spaces, or other locations while considering equity impacts to housing residents. Will also be studied through the Juanita and Kingsgate Neighborhood Plan Updates, the current cycle of Community-initiated Amendment Requests, and at Houghton Village Shopping Center;
• Introducing more allowances for small-scale neighborhood commercial uses and/or home-based businesses in low-density residential neighborhoods;
• Reducing and/or restructuring parking standards;
• Increasing public access to Lake Washington and other natural areas;
• Concepts that will enable Kirkland to become a more “complete city” (e.g., completing sidewalks, undergrounding overhead utilities, integrating arts into the community);
• Updates to incorporate new legislative requirements, and work at the State legislative level to address middle housing, affordable housing, and climate change;
• Policies to mitigate restrictive covenants or homeowners association restrictions that may be contrary to City policies like encouraging ADUs and middle housing;
• Strategy for converting retail storage facilities into affordable housing and mixed use and affordable housing opportunities; through partnerships with current property owners;
• Policies that streamline and enable deployment of wireless service facilities that are appropriate for the community;
• Strategies to support small businesses (will also be addressed in Economic Development Element);
• Policies that address the balance of jobs to housing needs in the city;
• Streamline development review, design review processes, permit review timing to support increasing the City’s housing stock, including affordable housing, middle housing and sustainable green building; and
• Study how to enable a 10-minute neighborhood (land uses, housing, transit needs) around the Bridle Trails Shopping Center, and within the Juanita and Kingsgate neighborhoods.

There are several areas in the City that are being considered for land use changes that would increase allowed intensity and housing unit or jobs capacity. These proposed changes are being studied in the Kirkland 2044 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) as an Action Alternative.

The Action Alternative would include capacity to accommodate additional development, particularly along transit corridors and in commercial centers, and would allow for some additional neighborhood-serving commercial uses in established residential areas. This alternative would include higher density residential zoning along key transit corridors in Kirkland and higher density development in and around commercial and mixed-use areas in Totem Lake and Juanita as described below: 

• Par Mac Business Park (Totem Lake): greater permitted density and height to accommodate up to 1,200 units of housing and up to 30,000 square feet of commercial space.

• Totem Lake Southern Industrial Commercial Subarea (Totem Lake, TL 10C, TL 10D, TL 10E, TL10F): changes to enable increases in capacity for housing units and office space.

• Goodwill Site (Juanita): greater permitted density and height to accommodate up to 600 units of housing and up to 15,000 square feet of commercial space.

• Michael’s Site (Juanita): greater permitted density and height (from 26 feet to 70 feet) to accommodate up to 350 units of housing and commercial space.

• Increased Capacity Along Frequent Transit Corridors including Market Street/98th Avenue NE, Lakeview Drive, 108th Avenue NE and NE 70th Street.

Read the  Capacity Analysis Memo to learn how Kirkland will meet our 2044 Growth Targets(PDF, 399KB)