Kirkland Planning Commission Meeting - April 11, 2024: Comprehensive Plan & Neighborhood Updates

The Kirkland Planning Commission held a study session on April 11, 2024, to review proposed policies for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan elements (Utilities, Public Services, Capital Facilities) and discuss updates to the Juanita and Kingsgate Neighborhood Plans. Commissioners heard public testimony on housing growth, transit, pedestrian safety, and specific development proposals. The meeting also addressed the public hearing schedule for upcoming comprehensive plan adoption.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Meridith Everist (Bayliss Architects, representing Karl Petersson, owner of Michaels site) expressed support for neighborhood plan policies, especially Policy 16 allowing increased height, stating additional density is needed to support site amenities.
• Gale Ballard (Kirkland resident) questioned the rapid housing growth, citing 13,000 new units target, and expressed concerns about overcrowding, crime, and loss of natural spaces.
• Susan Milke (Kingsgate focus group) argued Kingsgate is already well-planned and questioned the need for 13,000 additional housing units, warning of increased costs, congestion, and crime.
• Ingrid Salmon (Juanita resident) encouraged the Commission to look for pedestrian "cut throughs" to allow safe walking between neighborhoods.
• Susan Puez (Kirkland, blind resident) highlighted difficulty using transit and urged the city to involve Metro in planning for accessible bus service.
• Bob Warren (Kirkland, Finn Hill) noted damaged sidewalks make walking unsafe and urged pedestrian improvements as the city encourages getting out of cars.
• Theresa Rakowski (Juanita Working Group) requested removal of Policy 16 from the Juanita plan, arguing increased height and density at JBD4 would burden traffic and obscure lake views; she urged the city to acquire parcels for parks and wetlands.
• Alison Warner (representing Balboa Retail Partners, owner of Juanita Goodwill site) expressed support for staff recommendations and continued community engagement.
• Margaret Bouniol (Juanita Neighborhood Association board) opposed redevelopment of the Michaels site, stating the proposed bulk and mass are out of character for the neighborhood.

Discussion Items

2044 Comprehensive Plan - Utilities, Public Services, and Capital Facilities Elements

• Utilities Element: Senior Planner Lindsay Levine presented proposed goals and policies covering water, sewer, surface water, energy, telecoms, and solid waste transfer. Commissioners discussed policy U-1.2 (needed facilities for growth), U-7 (transition to renewable energy), and specific policies on EV charging (U7-5), composting (U7-6), and compatibility with land uses. Concerns raised about grid capacity, energy choice, and wording of "support" vs. "incentivize".
• Public Services Element: Levine highlighted policies on fire/EMS, police, schools, libraries, and new initiatives like HART and RACER. Commissioners discussed coordination with Lake Washington School District on school capacity and use of facilities for community needs. Commissioner Jacobson suggested adding a policy to address city employee housing affordability.
• Capital Facilities Element: Senior Planner Scott Guter presented updates on equity and sustainability, including policy CF2.2 (sustainable development principles) and CF2.3 (fiscal responsibility). Commissioners emphasized resilience planning and lifecycle cost analysis. Commissioner Heiser asked about embodied carbon analysis.

Juanita and Kingsgate Neighborhood Plan Updates

• Juanita Plan: Senior Planner LeAndra Baker-Lewis reviewed draft policies. Commissioners provided feedback on:
  • Policy J7 (affordable housing near major arterials): Concerns about placing housing on major arterials not served by transit; suggested focusing near parks and transit.
  • Policy J8 (transitions between land uses): Debate on whether transitions reduce capacity; some commissioners wanted more flexibility.
  • Policy J12 (new development enhancing connectivity): Appreciated multimodal connections and inclusion of grocery stores.
  • Policy J14 (park-to-park trail between Juanita Beach and Juanita Bay): Strong support.
  • Policy J21 (mixed use in North Juanita neighborhood center): Commission asked for more specifics on heights.
  • Optional policies J16 and J20 for community-initiated amendment requests at Michaels and Goodwill sites: Commissioners Allen and Rutherford expressed reluctance to include site-specific policies; others noted the commission's duty to consider the requests. Staff clarified these are optional policies to support future zoning changes, not final approvals.
• Kingsgate Plan: Policies K3 (diverse housing), K5 (compact infill development), K6 (neighborhood center as mixed-use), and transportation policy K10 (transit-supportive land use) were discussed. Commissioners supported focusing growth where infrastructure exists and reiterated need for transit improvements. Commissioner Heiser raised concern about the impact if the ice arena closes.

Key Outcomes

• Public Hearing Schedule: The joint Council/Planning Commission workshop on the Comprehensive Plan was scheduled for May 3, 2024 (noon–5 PM). Public hearings were rescheduled: April 25 hearing moved to May 9 (vision, guiding principles, etc.); May 9 hearing moved to May 23 (land use, neighborhood plans, community-initiated amendment requests). Commissioners agreed to start public hearings at 6 PM for the May meetings.
• Next Steps for Comprehensive Plan: Staff will refine draft policies based on commission feedback; public hearings will occur in May and June; council adoption by end of 2024.
• Juanita and Kingsgate Plans: Staff will produce Draft #2 of policies, incorporate feedback from working groups, and prepare for the May 23 public hearing where the commission will make a recommendation on the community-initiated amendment requests.