Kirkland Planning Commission Study Session on Houghton Sunsetting Code Amendments and Election of Officers - July 28, 2022
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Kirkland Planning Commission Study Session on Houghton Sunsetting Code Amendments and Election of Officers - July 28, 2022
The Kirkland Planning Commission met on July 28, 2022, at 7:00 PM in a hybrid format. The primary agenda items included a study session on the Houghton Community Municipal Corporation & Houghton Community Council Sunsetting Code Amendments (File No. CAM22-00322), the election of officers, approval of minutes, and administrative updates. Commissioners also expressed significant frustration regarding the City Council's handling of the station area plan and the Google development agreement, calling for improved communication and a joint meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from February 24, 2022, and April 28, 2022, with a 7-0 vote. (Moved by Sandeep Singhal, seconded by Chair Angela Rozmyn)
Public Comments & Testimony
- John Kappler (Kirkland resident, former Houghton Community Council member) spoke during the public comment period. He recommended extra advertising to ensure a robust public hearing on the Houghton amendments, suggested evaluating the impact of existing zoning regulations on neighborhoods, and requested that a representative of the former Houghton Community Council be allowed to present at the public hearing. The Commission granted him additional time to speak.
Discussion Items
- Houghton Community Municipal Corporation & Community Council Sunsetting Code Amendments (File No. CAM22-00322): Senior Planner Nick Cilluffo presented the background. State House Bill 1769 (effective July 9, 2022) sunsetted community municipal corporations. The city had already adopted Ordinance 4798 ending the Houghton Community Council. The current phase addresses two buckets: (1) procedural amendments removing references to the HCC's involvement in land use processes, and (2) regulatory amendments eliminating discrepancies between the former Houghton jurisdiction and the rest of the city. Staff recommended a delayed effective date for regulatory changes to protect projects in progress. Commissioners discussed various regulatory differences, including floor area ratio (FAR), tree regulations, oversized vehicle parking, and missing middle housing. Many favored unification unless clear evidence supported Houghton's different rules. The Commission reached consensus to invite a representative of the former HCC to present at the public hearing (scheduled for August 25, 2022) and to enhance outreach to neighborhood chairs and the Master Builders Association. Commissioners also requested clarity on the vesting date for building permits and on the enforcement transition for boat/RV parking.
- Election of Officers: Chair Angela Rozmyn was nominated by Katya Allen (seconded by Sandeep Singhal) and re-elected 7-0. Vice Chair Scott Reusser was nominated by John Tymczyszyn (seconded by Sandeep Singhal) and re-elected 7-0. During the election discussion, several commissioners voiced strong frustration that the Planning Commission's recommendations on the station area plan and the Google/Lee Johnson development agreement were disregarded by the City Council. They felt their time was wasted and that decisions were made without meaningful input. Commissioners called for a joint meeting with the City Council to discuss communication and the planning commission's role.
- Administrative Reports and Calendar Update: Deputy Director Allison Zike reported that the City Council held a public hearing on the Lee Johnson/Google development agreement on July 11 and adopted it on July 19. The August 11 meeting is canceled. The August 25 meeting will include the public hearing for the Houghton amendments, an update on missing middle housing implementation, and a preview of the housing dashboard.
Key Outcomes
- Elections: Angela Rozmyn re-elected Chair (7-0) and Scott Reusser re-elected Vice Chair (7-0) for the coming year.
- Approvals: Minutes of February 24 and April 28, 2022, approved (7-0).
- Next Steps for Houghton Amendments: Public hearing scheduled for August 25, 2022. Staff will arrange for a former HCC representative to present and will conduct enhanced outreach (including to neighborhood associations and the Master Builders Association). The public hearing and subsequent city council action are anticipated on September 20, 2022.
- Meeting Calendar: August 11 meeting canceled. August 25 meeting will include the Houghton public hearing and updates on missing middle housing and the housing dashboard.
- Future Engagement: Staff will work to schedule a joint study session with the City Council to address communication concerns and ensure the Planning Commission's role is respected.
Meeting Transcript
Neighborhoods. And to my knowledge, that's not been done. And so that's one thing that we ought to look at to see if in fact these regulations made a difference, good or bad, in neighborhoods, how that's impacted the neighborhoods, and then use that information, move forward in the hearing so we can make an appropriate decision on how to deal with these regulations. As a practicing architect at this point, I have no stake in the game, whether they do or don't. I want to make that clear for the record. But I think the process and the manner in which we go about that is the most important. We're just beginning that process now, and that's the message that I wanted to give to the planning commission. I appreciate your time very much. Thank you for everything you do for the city of Kirkland. Uh point of order, Madam Chair. I muted myself, yes. Um well, I'd like to make a motion to give Mr. Kappler extra time if he wants it. If he doesn't want it, it's fine. But I think it's appropriate to give a member of the HCC um to address what they want to address. And they should have been somebody from the HCC should probably have been on the agenda here, maybe, but to give us any insight into what they think what they think they got right, and we didn't, and Kirkland didn't, or what they think the that the HCC had that worked out better um than a Kirkland regulation. Because I think what we're being asked to do here is just a okay, that's my motion to give them extra time. Can I get a second? So I I think maybe instead of putting John on the spot, I I think the idea is a good one, but I think maybe having um, you know, maybe giving him a little bit more time or you know, thought process. This is just the initial study session, but um having some input in the process, I think is a good idea. I just um, you know, I I'd like to give him some time to think about what he'd like to say rather than here's another three minutes, just share with us your other thoughts. So that's that's where I'm at. I don't know how if I can on the floor. The motion has been seconded. John Kappler. Uh well, maybe if that's okay. So I I appreciate it, John, very, very much. I appreciate the second. Uh, we've always enjoyed it our working relationship. I think it's appropriate. Uh excuse me. I would like to ask the planning commission to maybe suggest that um the uh former members of the Houghton Community Council might be able to present at the hearing why they did what they did, so it makes sense in context of the public hearing. If you all decide to do that, that would be very generous. And that's that's my time. I appreciate it very, very much, Angelo. Thanks, John. And we'll definitely include that in our conversation tonight. So um you'll be around if we have any other questions while we're talking. Uh I I uh yes, I'll hang tight. Okay. All right. Again, Jeremy, congratulations. Yes, congratulations, Jeremy. I would I made sure it was okay to put them on the spot, but we can talk about that more later this evening when we send them off in virtual style. Do we have anyone else who would like to speak this evening? Seeing none, I am going to pass it along to I believe Nick is giving the presentation tonight. Yeah, my I did uh want to point out that I think Commissioner Allen was speaking uh there for a moment or trying to. I don't know if there was a meeting issue where I don't want that to go disregarded. Can't hear you, Katya. Yeah, I don't.
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