OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kirkland Planning Commission Meeting - April 25, 2024

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 25, 2024
BodyKirkland, Washington
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, April 25, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 5:00:01

Transcript — Verbatim
0:09

Great.

0:10

I would like to call to order the uh April 25th, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.

0:17

And on tonight's agenda, we will have a study session and a public hearing on miscellaneous code amendments.

0:27

And before we start, can we have roll call?

0:30

Gotcha, Alan.

0:32

Yes.

0:33

Rhea Heiser.

0:34

Here.

0:35

Erin Jacobson.

0:36

Here.

0:37

Gina Madea.

0:38

Here.

0:39

Scott Racer.

0:40

Here.

0:41

Angela Rosman.

0:42

Here, Rodney Rutherford.

0:43

Here.

0:44

Thanks.

0:46

Okay.

0:47

And do we, I don't see any audience here.

0:50

Is there anyone online that would like to make a public comment?

0:54

We have zero attendees online, Mr.

0:56

Chair.

0:57

Okay, that makes it pretty easy.

1:00

Okay, we have a presentation from staff.

1:03

All right.

1:04

Could I ask uh the chair to open the public hearing for the miscellaneous code amendments?

1:09

Great.

1:10

I hereby open the public hearing.

1:13

Thank you.

1:14

And so tonight we're talking about the 2024 miscellaneous code amendments.

1:18

We briefed you on this at one of your March meetings.

1:21

I think it was the March 28th meeting.

1:24

So tonight we're gonna do a really quick review of what we briefed you on in March.

1:28

We're gonna we're gonna keep it brief.

1:30

Um after the staff presentation, if any audience members have joined us, there is an opportunity for public testimony.

1:36

Um if not, we'll we'll hand it back to you.

1:40

So we have quite a large package of miscellaneous code amendments for you this year, but uh the large majority of them perfect are really pretty administrative, straightforward code amendments.

1:52

They're fixing fixing errors in the code that we found, updating references, um, and making some clarifications.

2:00

Um and Denise is going to go over those clarifications.

2:04

Um and then we have just a few that are a little bit more substantive this year, and we have fewer of those than we even briefed you on in March because a couple of them have fallen off the list for this year for some reason or another.

2:18

So I'm gonna hand it over to Denise Russell, our planning supervisor, to go over the first few amendments.

2:29

Okay.

2:30

Um so we do have 15 amendments proposed to make minor corrections to the code to fix um outdated references or language.

2:40

Um and these are all detailed in your packet, and I know we briefed you on these last time, so if you have any questions, we're happy to address them.

2:47

But I was just gonna go over them pretty quickly here.

2:50

Um, and then the second category that we have.

2:59

Okay, thank you.

3:01

Uh the second bucket is our minor amendments, which are uh meant to clarify how we already apply the code.

3:07

There are 17 of these amendments, and they're intended to uh reduce confusion for planners and applicants by um reflecting better past interpretations of the code.

3:18

And again, um happy to go through these um individually if you have any questions.

3:26

So the third bucket that we have are uh minor code updates, as Alison mentioned, um, and there are slight changes in how the code is applied based on policy direction.

3:37

The first one we have is number 15 in your packet.

3:40

Um this is a change to the vegetative buffer standards in critical areas, um specifically for parks projects.

3:48

This change is meant to ease the burden of vegetation requirements within city parks where it may not be necessary or possible based on available park area to meet a higher ratio of vegetative buffer.

4:02

And with this change, uh project construction constructing public facilities in a city park will only need to meet a one-to-one ratio, meaning that the the total square footage of new vegetative buffer uh must match the total square footage of added impervious surface.

4:19

So without this provision, um, if a project, a parks project was adding more than a thousand square feet of new net impervious area on a property, the entire buffer area on the property would be subject to vegetative buffer standards in chapter 90.

4:33

Um and most of our parks already meet the standards or have um limited area to vegetate, so this change will help reduce required replantings and um reduce cost to the city.

4:45

I'll hand it back over to Alison.

4:48

All right, so two more of these a little bit more substantive code amendments we're gonna go over with you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████83%
Code Enforcement███6%
Zoning Regulations███5%
Public Engagement██3%
Homelessness█1%
Transportation█1%
Comprehensive Planning█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Kirkland Planning Commission Meeting - April 25, 2024

The Kirkland Planning Commission met on April 25, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included a public hearing on the 2024 Miscellaneous Code Amendments, approval of previous meeting minutes, and an administrative report on the Goat Hill moratorium. All seven commissioners were present. No public testimony was offered.

Public Hearings

  • 2024 Miscellaneous Code Amendments (File No. CAM23-00134) – Staff presented three categories of amendments: (1) consistency and error corrections (15 items), (2) clarifications (17 items), and (3) minor code updates (5 items). Key amendments included:
    • Amendment #15: For parks projects, vegetative buffer requirements in critical areas will be reduced to a 1:1 ratio of new vegetative buffer to added impervious surface, easing the burden on city parks.
    • Amendment #26: In the downtown central business district, changes of use for existing square footage will no longer require additional parking, intended to help fill vacant spaces.
    • Amendment #37: The Planning and Building Director may extend the duration of city-permitted homeless encampments up to an additional 92 days (from the current 92-day maximum), with a one-time extension per calendar year.
  • Commissioners asked questions about definitions (e.g., "alteration" and "commercial community facility"), the 92-day duration rationale, and the removal of two previously discussed amendments (affordable housing in-lieu fees and shoreline master program changes). Staff confirmed the 92-day figure simply doubles the existing code provision and that the dropped items will return in future packages.
  • No public testimony was provided.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to Recommend Approval – The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend City Council approval of the 2024 Miscellaneous Code Amendments as drafted.
  • Approval of Minutes – The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from February 8, February 22, March 14, and March 28, 2024.

Administrative Reports and Discussion

  • Goat Hill Moratorium Update – Planning & Building Director Adam Weinstein briefed the Commission on the City Council’s moratorium (effective February 6 to August 6, 2024) on new dwelling units on Goat Hill. The moratorium does not apply to additions, infrastructure, or vested permits. Staff reviewed past efforts (stormwater infrastructure, geologic hazard regulations, environmental review thresholds) and public concerns (traffic, emergency access, abandoned projects, drainage). Five potential code amendment concepts were discussed:
    1. Reducing development allowances (density, lot coverage, floor area ratio).
    2. Construction metering (limiting concurrent projects).
    3. Policies for land clearance and abandoned projects (e.g., improved bonding, hydroseeding instead of plastic sheeting).
    4. New emergency access requirements or apparatuses.
    5. A road improvement district (a long-term option requiring further study).
  • Commissioners discussed the need to balance development limits with unintended consequences, the feasibility of metering, encouragement of modular construction, and the importance of focusing on actual transportation and safety impacts rather than simply limiting units. Staff noted that a white paper on the road improvement district would be produced, and zoning code amendments are expected to return to the Commission in late spring (May/June).

Future Meetings & Reminders

  • Joint Workshop with City Council: May 3, 2024, 12:00–5:00 PM, Peter Kirk Room, focusing on Comprehensive Plan elements.
  • Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing: May 9, 2024, 6:00 PM start (open house from 4:00–5:30 PM).
  • Officer Elections: Scheduled for the May 9 meeting.
  • Community Appreciation Night: May 15, 2024, 6:00 PM at Kirkland Performing Arts Center.

Meeting Transcript

Great. I would like to call to order the uh April 25th, 2024 Planning Commission meeting. And on tonight's agenda, we will have a study session and a public hearing on miscellaneous code amendments. And before we start, can we have roll call? Gotcha, Alan. Yes. Rhea Heiser. Here. Erin Jacobson. Here. Gina Madea. Here. Scott Racer. Here. Angela Rosman. Here, Rodney Rutherford. Here. Thanks. Okay. And do we, I don't see any audience here. Is there anyone online that would like to make a public comment? We have zero attendees online, Mr. Chair. Okay, that makes it pretty easy. Okay, we have a presentation from staff. All right. Could I ask uh the chair to open the public hearing for the miscellaneous code amendments? Great. I hereby open the public hearing. Thank you. And so tonight we're talking about the 2024 miscellaneous code amendments. We briefed you on this at one of your March meetings. I think it was the March 28th meeting. So tonight we're gonna do a really quick review of what we briefed you on in March. We're gonna we're gonna keep it brief. Um after the staff presentation, if any audience members have joined us, there is an opportunity for public testimony. Um if not, we'll we'll hand it back to you. So we have quite a large package of miscellaneous code amendments for you this year, but uh the large majority of them perfect are really pretty administrative, straightforward code amendments. They're fixing fixing errors in the code that we found, updating references, um, and making some clarifications. Um and Denise is going to go over those clarifications. Um and then we have just a few that are a little bit more substantive this year, and we have fewer of those than we even briefed you on in March because a couple of them have fallen off the list for this year for some reason or another. So I'm gonna hand it over to Denise Russell, our planning supervisor, to go over the first few amendments. Okay. Um so we do have 15 amendments proposed to make minor corrections to the code to fix um outdated references or language. Um and these are all detailed in your packet, and I know we briefed you on these last time, so if you have any questions, we're happy to address them. But I was just gonna go over them pretty quickly here. Um, and then the second category that we have. Okay, thank you. Uh the second bucket is our minor amendments, which are uh meant to clarify how we already apply the code. There are 17 of these amendments, and they're intended to uh reduce confusion for planners and applicants by um reflecting better past interpretations of the code.

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