Community Invited to Comment on NE 85th St. Station Area Plan Options

Published on January 05, 2021

Media Contact:                                                  
Joy Johnston
Interim Communications Program Manager
jjohnston@kirklandwa.gov
425-979-6562

UPDATE 1/27/21:  In recognition of the great input the City is receiving from community members, the DSEIS comment period has been extended to give people more time to learn about the project and share their thoughts.  The extended DSEIS comment deadline is February 19, 2021.  Comments can be provided by completing the DSEIS survey, or by emailing comments directly to project planner, Allison Zike, at azike@kirklandwa.gov.   

KIRKLAND, Wash. – As of January 5, 2021, a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the NE 85th St. Station Area Plan is available for review at www.kirklandwa.gov and the City of Kirkland is seeking input from the community during a formal comment period from January 5 through February 5, 2021. The community is also invited to participate in a virtual community workshop on Thursday, January 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

“We are working toward a regional gateway that supports transit, creates opportunity for all, and reflects Kirkland’s unique identity, and we would love to hear from the community,” said Kirkland City Councilmember Kelli Curtis. “The Station Area Plan will create a new future for the area around Sound Transit’s planned Bus Rapid Transit Station at the I-405/NE 85th Street Interchange. This is an important opportunity to help us prioritize options and pick the best plan for this area.”

Earlier this year, the community came together to share their vision for the Station Area Plan around the I-405/NE 85th Street interchange. Based on that input, initial concepts were developed for land use, mobility, infrastructure, and environmental considerations. These initial concepts were presented to the community in June and the City received valuable feedback. The Planning Commission and the City Council considered this feedback in developing three Station Area Plan alternatives for study. When the final plan is adopted, it will likely include a mixture of ideas from the three alternatives.

In the next phase of the project, the City is seeking input on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The Draft SEIS is a detailed analysis of each potential Station Area Plan alternative and will look at possible impacts and mitigation measures across elements such as air quality, aesthetics, stormwater management, transportation, housing, public services, and more. The community’s input will be taken into consideration as decisions are made about which parts of each alternative should, or should not, be incorporated into the final Station Area plan.

Virtual Community Workshop: Thursday, January 7, 2021 from 6 - 8 pm: Community members can learn about the Station Area Plan and provide feedback to the project team. Registration is required in advance.  Register for the workshop.

Draft SEIS Comment Period: January 5 – February 5, 2021: Review the Draft SEIS on the project website and provide comments to azike@kirklandwa.gov by February 5, 2021.

Learn more about the project, register for the community workshop, and view all published documents at the project website: www.kirklandwa.gov/stationareaplan. 

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