Kirkland Planning Commission Retreat and Study Session - January 19, 2024

The Kirkland Planning Commission held a retreat and study session on January 19, 2024, to review the draft 2024-2026 Planning Work Program and discuss the ongoing 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update, including staff support, meeting logistics, and data needs. Commissioners present were Chair Scott Reusser, Vice-Chair Rodney Rotherford, and Commissioners Angela Rozmyn, Aaron Jacobson, Katya Allen, Sandeep Singhal, and Bria Heiser. Staff present included Planning & Building Director Adam Weinstein, Deputy Director Allison Zike, and Program Specialist Bryan Cole.

Draft 2024-2026 Planning Work Program

• Commissioners discussed the draft work program, which carries forward many tasks from the previous cycle and adds new items related to comprehensive plan implementation. Key topics included accessory commercial units, minimum lot sizes, transit walkshed development, neighborhood plan updates for Kingsgate and Juanita, design review compliance with state law, Houghton Village and Park and Ride site planning, and the Smart City strategic plan.
• Vice-Chair Rutherford emphasized the need for an incremental, well-scoped approach to projects like missing middle housing and home occupation allowances to avoid bottlenecks. Staff agreed to phase work and provide clear scoping.
• Commissioner Allen requested clarification on the Kingsgate and Juanita updates, noting they are the only neighborhoods without modern updates since annexation. Staff confirmed these will be integrated into the 10-year comp plan cycle, with community-initiated amendments as a separate pathway.
• Commissioner Rozmyn asked about design review task 16; staff explained that compliance with state law may require converting design guidelines into standards, with further guidance expected from the state.
• Commissioner Jacobson asked how comp plan decisions would filter into future work items; staff noted that policies adopted in the comp plan will set direction for code amendments, and new tasks may be added as needed.

Kirkland 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update: Commission Support Discussion

• Staff presented six prompting questions to gather feedback on how best to support commissioners through the comp plan update process. Topics included background information needs, level of detail between policies and zoning, curation of policies for discussion, staff memos and packets, meeting schedules, and other open-ended feedback.
• Commissioners requested additional data: historical growth target performance, parcel-level capacity analysis (including potential heat maps), and updates on neighboring city plans. Commissioner Allen also asked for a written document on the distinction between planning for growth versus allowing capacity.
• On the policy matrix, commissioners appreciated the curated focus and suggested highlighting policies to be discussed in a different color and providing the original spreadsheet for easier note-taking. They preferred less repetition of history in packets, with links to previous meetings instead.
• Regarding meeting schedules, commissioners generally preferred either starting meetings earlier (e.g., 6:00 PM) or allowing them to run longer, with advance notice of longer meetings. Daytime meetings were not a strong preference, but virtual-only sessions were mentioned for informational presentations. Commissioner Allen suggested recording presentations for asynchronous viewing to free up meeting time.
• Commissioner Heiser requested a summary of recent state legislative changes relevant to planning. Commissioner Allen emphasized the need for better public education on the rationale behind code changes, particularly after projects are built. Commissioner Singhal noted that jargon in agendas and minutes hampers public understanding and suggested more accessible summaries, as well as minority reports to capture nuanced positions in minutes.
• Commissioner Rozmyn asked for average rent data, ideally broken down by unit type and neighborhood, to inform housing discussions. Staff noted a community profile in development (expected publication by end of February/March) that will include many data points. Commissioner Allen also asked for updated data on housing start permits and occupancy rates.

Key Outcomes

• Planning Work Program: The commission accepted the draft 2024-2026 Planning Work Program as a recommendation to city council. Chair Reusser and Vice-Chair Rutherford will present the program to council on behalf of the commission, likely through a joint study session or staff memo.
• Data & Information: Staff will provide historical growth target performance data, parcel-level capacity information, neighboring city comp plan summaries, and a summary of recent legislative changes. The community profile and housing needs assessment are expected in early 2024.
• Meeting Logistics: The commission agreed to accommodate longer meetings by starting earlier or extending hours, with prior notice. Daytime meetings are not a preferred option. Staff will explore recording presentations for advance viewing.
• Public Engagement: Staff will continue efforts to diversify survey respondents and will report demographic breakdowns of feedback. Commissioners encouraged clearer, jargon-free summaries of agenda items to improve public understanding.