The Basics

The update process will be an opportunity to revisit the policies in the existing Comprehensive Plan to see if they are still relevant, need revising per State, Regional, and County requirements. To help develop a comprehensive plan, the City engages the community to develop a shared vision for Kirkland based on common values, desires and goals. Using public meetings, hearings, surveys, focus groups and other tools to engage the community, and regulatory requirements city staff revises the policies and prepares briefings for the Planning Commission and city Boards and Commissions to consider. A draft plan is prepared based on the community’s vision, state and regional requirements such as Puget Sound Regional Council Vision 2050 multi-planning policies, and planning best practices, such as Smart Growth Principles that promote growth in compact, walkable, urban centers to avoid sprawl.

The Planning Commission holds public meetings and hearings to get comments on the draft plan. Based on public feedback, the Planning Commission may revise the draft plan. The Planning Commission then makes a recommendation to the City Council and, if the Council agrees with the recommendation, the Council approves the final plan. Adoption of the 2044 Plan must be adopted before December 2024. 

The 2044 Comprehensive Plan goals and policies are being updated with the following themes in mind:

The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) determines what is included in each comprehensive plan.

The Kirkland 2044 Comprehensive Plan covers many policy areas including:

• Community Character
• Natural Environment
• Land Use
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Transportation
• Parks, Recreation and Open Space
• Utilities
• Public Services
• Human Services
• Capital Facilities
• Implementation

Neighborhood Plans

There are 14 neighborhoods within Kirkland. Each neighborhood has it's own Neighborhood Plan chapter within the City's Comprehensive Plan. In 2023-2024 the City is working with the Juanita Neighborhood and Kingsgate Neighborhood Plan to update their Plans. For all other neighborhood plans, text will be updated through an equity lens and historic text from each neighborhood consolidated into a citywide history of Kirkland document that will be included as an Appendix to the Comprehensive Plan.  

For each neighborhood, these plans address topics such as:

• Historical Context
• Natural Environment
• Land Use
• Transportation (pedestrian and bicycle paths)
• Open Space and Parks
• Public Services and Facilities
• Urban Design

On June 10, 2024, the City of Kirkland issued a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) evaluating proposed amendments as part of the 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update that would alter the distribution of Kirkland’s population and employment growth and help shape all aspects of the community over the next 20 years (to 2044). The update will include changes to policies in the Land Use, Housing, Transportation, Utilities, Capital Facilities, Human Services, Environment, Public Services, and Parks, Recreation, and Open Space sections of the Kirkland 2035 Comprehensive Plan and incorporate elements of the Transportation Strategic Plan. 

View the Notice of Availability document(PDF, 517KB) .
View the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement(PDF, 16MB) (SEIS) document.

Public comments on the draft SEIS may be submitted from June 10^th, 2024, to July 12, 2024, or attend an in person public hearing on June 27^th, 2024, at 6:00 at City Hall Council Chambers.

Written comments may be submitted to: 
Janice Swenson, Senior Planner 
City of Kirkland Planning Department 
123 5th Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033  
jswenson@kirklandwa.gov    

Summary- The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) includes two alternatives: the Existing Plan Alternative (continuation of the current Kirkland 2035 Comprehensive Plan, NE 85^th Street Station Area Plan and Planned Action, and adopted neighborhood plans) and a Growth Alternative. Both alternatives will accommodate Kirkland’s assigned growth targets for 2044. 

The Growth Alternative would establish additional residential capacity above and beyond what is needed to accommodate the City’s growth targets to provide additional flexibility for the development of housing choices for the community. It would allow greater residential and commercial density, particularly near transit corridors and in select commercial or business centers and would implement regulations to encourage the production of affordable and market-rate housing citywide. The Growth Alternative would include future multimodal improvements identified in the Transportation Strategic Plan and incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. This alternative would also include updates required to comply with Washington state legislation for “middle” housing (housing at densities between single-unit detached homes and mid-rise apartment buildings) in all residential zones citywide and would allow additional middle housing typologies in residential zones. The Growth Alternative includes consideration of proposed changes in land use at selected sites in Juanita and Totem Lake (see the Land Use Element section of the K2044 project webpage for more information.
Next Steps Fall 2024- Comments on the draft SEIS will be considered for the final SEIS due to be completed in fall 2024.

Previously- On October 18, 2023 the City issued a Determination of Significance and Scoping Notice(PDF, 334KB)  to allow people to submit comments on what should be evaluated in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan update.  The scoping period ended on November 17, 2023. View all the scoping comments(PDF, 3MB) that were received.

Documents and Presentations

Introduction-Chapter-draft-May-9-2024-Hearing.pdf(PDF, 4MB) (includes Vision Statement-Guiding Principles)

Citywide General goals and policies draft March 2024(PDF, 942KB)

Planning Commission December 8, 2022 Meeting Material(PDF, 6MB)s - Presentation(PDF, 2MB) 
City Council December 13, 2022 Meeting Materials(PDF, 4MB)  - Presentation(PPTX, 17MB)
City Council April 19, 2022 Meeting Materials(PDF, 6MB)  - Presentation(PPTX, 645KB) 
Planning Commission April 28, 2022(PDF, 5MB)  - Presentation(PDF, 1MB)
City Council July 18, 2023 Meeting Materials(PDF, 2MB)  - Presentation(PDF, 1MB)
Planning Commission July 27, 2023 Meeting Materials(PDF, 764KB)  - Presentation(PDF, 2MB)  

You may encounter unfamiliar terms while you learn about the Kirkland 2044 Comprehensive Plan. The following are some definitions to help you better understand the plan and its development process. These definitions are not official and have been simplified. For the official definitions of these terms and other terms you may encounter, please review the glossary within the current Comprehensive Plan.

Critical Areas: Types of areas and ecosystems that the State of Washington has designated as in need of protection from development.

Density: How much housing exists in an area or how many people live in an area.

Development: Adding or changing buildings on a piece of land or changing the way a piece of land is used, including dividing the land into smaller areas of use. 

Growth Management: Guiding new development to prevent damage to a community and to boost the benefits of living in that community.

Multimodal Transportation: Includes different types and methods of getting around, including cars, public transit, walking, bicycling, and ride-sharing.

Visioning: Processes involving the public that determine values and ideals for the future of a community

Vision Statement: a summary of the desired character and characteristics of the community 20 years in the future that provides the ultimate goal for community planning and development.

Zoning: designating an area for certain uses, types of construction, and kinds of buildings.