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 10th, 2024, to July 12, 2024, or attend an in person public hearing on June 27th, 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 85th 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.