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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Kirkland Planning Commission Study Session: NE 85th Station Area Activation - April 23, 2026

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 23, 2026

BodyKirkland, Washington

SessionPlanning Commission

DateThursday, April 23, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 4:48:25

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:06

Margaret Bunyall.

0:07

Here.

0:08

Aaron Jacobson.

0:09

Here.

0:09

Gina Medea.

0:10

Here.

0:11

Julia Nolan.

0:12

Here.

0:12

Ricer.

0:13

Yeah.

0:13

Angela Rosman.

0:14

Here.

0:15

Ronnie Rutherford.

0:16

Here.

0:17

All right.

0:19

We are on to the public comment point of the meeting.

0:23

So if anyone online or in the audience would like to speak.

0:30

I don't we have a no one has signed up in person.

0:35

If you would like to speak, you can come to the podium, or if you're just here to listen, we can looks like we can continue on.

0:50

Staff presentation.

0:52

Yeah, thank you, Chair Rosman.

0:53

Before we start the study session, just in talking to Chair Rosman.

0:58

Oh, yes, thank you.

0:59

I totally forgot.

1:01

Takes two.

1:02

So we did just want to make a point at the beginning of the meeting to note that applications for the upcoming vacancy on planning commission are currently open.

1:12

And applications are due by April 29th, so about another week.

1:16

So if you're all on the planning commission, but if you know of anyone that's interested, they've got a few more days to look into it.

1:25

I think take my spot.

1:28

And if if you come across anyone that's curious about it and um want to talk to staff, feel free to direct them to us.

1:36

We're happy to chat with folks.

1:38

Um and of course you can share your experience on the planning commission as well.

1:41

So just wanted to note that at the beginning of the meeting for anyone that might be interested.

1:45

And if anyone listening wants to get coffee or talk, I'm always welcome.

1:49

I'm always happy to sit down and talk to anyone who's interested.

1:53

Whether or not it's planning commission, if it's a different board or commission, those are also open through the same time period.

1:59

So it's not just planning commission.

2:00

I want to note that.

2:01

So Parks Board, Transportation, Human Services.

2:05

I think there's some openings on the civil service.

2:07

Civil service.

2:08

Okay, yeah.

2:08

So there's a number of them.

2:09

So if you are interested in getting involved at the city level, boards and commissions are a great place to do that.

2:16

Um look online and you can see all the ones that are open right now through the 29th.

2:21

Great.

2:22

And with that, I think we're ready to start the study session.

2:25

So we put this on the agenda after talking to the planning commission and holding the public hearing for some amendments to the station area code.

2:34

The commission expressed an interest in hearing about what the rest of city staff is doing on the activation front.

2:41

So specifically hearing from our economic development manager, Jen Davis Hayes, on a lot of the work that she's doing out in the community to let people know about the 85th Street station area.

2:51

Um and I think a lot of the incentivization that the planning commission and council have both talked about lives under the umbrella of economic development.

2:59

So wanted to invite Jen to the meeting tonight to give a quick presentation to you all and then engage in some question and answer so that you know kind of about that work that's going on.

3:10

So with that, I will hand it over to Jen.

3:14

Thank you very much for having me here tonight.

3:16

Um my name, as she mentioned, is Jen Davis Hayes, and I started as the economic development manager last June, which seems like it was yesterday, but also a long time ago.

3:27

So um, and my position was created uh in order to help catalyze Northeast 85th uh station area, and so among some other things.

3:35

So it's uh exciting to see so much interest and support from all aspects of the city moving forward.

3:42

So I I guess I have a quick question.

3:43

How many of you were on the commission or paying attention when the plan was being created?

3:48

So I can better understand.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████76%

Economic Development█████████15%

Affordable Housing██3%

Zoning Regulations█2%

Community Engagement█1%

Parking Management█1%

Home Occupation█1%

Technology and Innovation█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Kirkland Planning Commission Meeting – April 23, 2026

The Kirkland Planning Commission met on April 23, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:20 PM in Council Chamber. The primary agenda item was a study session on the NE 85th Street Station Area Activation Update presented by Economic Development Manager Jen Davis Hayes. Commissioners also received updates on recent City Council actions, upcoming meeting dates, and administrative matters. There were no public comments, public hearings, or minutes for approval.

Consent Calendar

No consent calendar items were presented or approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

No members of the public provided comment either in person or online.

Discussion Items

NE 85th St Station Area Activation Update (Study Session)

Economic Development Manager Jen Davis Hayes provided a detailed presentation on the station area, which was planned in 2022 to increase density near the future Sound Transit Stride station at NE 85th/I-405.
She noted that two major planned projects – a Google campus at the Lee Johnson site and a mixed-use development at the former Outback Steakhouse/PETCO/Tuesday Morning site – did not move forward due to changes in tech office demand and financial market conditions. The station area plan includes development incentives (e.g., tax increment financing, a pioneer program eliminating affordable housing requirements for the first 694 units or until 2030), but no new development has yet occurred.
Ms. Davis Hayes described current activation efforts: a developer/investor/property owner roundtable held in November 2025; ongoing outreach to real estate organizations; a branding and marketing campaign launched in April 2026; conversations with hotel developers (citing a city study showing a shortage of room nights) and grocers (no imminent closures but exploring potential for a specialty or ethnic grocer); and code changes including elimination of parking minimums and streamlined design review (both approved by Council since the roundtable).
Commissioner questions and discussion touched on:
- The need for smaller-scale development (e.g., smaller footprints) given high interest rates and land costs; Commissioner Aaron Jacobson suggested nurturing smaller increments and community investment vehicles.
- How feedback from developers is used to inform city policy – staff emphasized a collaborative approach and quick responses (e.g., parking and design review changes).
- The role of affordable housing requirements and the pioneer program in attracting development.
- Child care as a necessary service; Ms. Davis Hayes noted existing home-based care and state programs for expansion.
- Efforts to diversify the local economy away from tech dependence, including hosting international business delegations.
Staff noted that approximately 45% of parcels in the station area are under half an acre, making it challenging to require mixed-use development on small lots.

Administrative Reports & Commission Discussion

Deputy Planning Director Allison Zike recapped the April 21 City Council meeting, which included two Planning Commission items:
1. Recommended amendments to the Station Area Plan (regarding townhome prohibition, extension of affordable housing pioneer to 2029, and expanded use of development agreements). Council discussed the townhome prohibition extensively; an amendment to remove the prohibition was proposed but the overall motion was tabled to May 5 for further refinement, possibly narrowing the prohibition to certain areas.
2. Planning Work Plan – Council approved the work plan with a note that it is a guiding document, not a fixed list. Questions focused on timing and staff capacity for projects like focused middle housing and neighborhood center zoning.
Upcoming meeting dates and logistics:
- May 14: Public hearing on the state lot splitting bill; officer elections.
- May 28: Commission open discussion/retreat (noticed as a study session; no decisions). Commissioners were encouraged to suggest topics in advance.
- July meetings (both dates) will be held virtually due to technology upgrades in Council Chambers and the Peter Kirk room; a physical space will be available for public participation.
Applications for the upcoming Planning Commission vacancy are due April 29, 2026.

Key Outcomes

No formal votes were taken during the meeting.
Next Steps:
- Staff will prepare a memo for the May 5 Council meeting regarding the station area townhome prohibition, potentially offering a more narrowly scoped option.
- The public hearing on the state lot splitting bill is scheduled for May 14.
- Commission officer elections will occur on May 14.
- The May 28 meeting will be a retreat/roundtable discussion; commissioners are to submit topic ideas to staff beforehand.
- July meetings will be fully remote.

Meeting Transcript

Margaret Bunyall. Here. Aaron Jacobson. Here. Gina Medea. Here. Julia Nolan. Here. Ricer. Yeah. Angela Rosman. Here. Ronnie Rutherford. Here. All right. We are on to the public comment point of the meeting. So if anyone online or in the audience would like to speak. I don't we have a no one has signed up in person. If you would like to speak, you can come to the podium, or if you're just here to listen, we can looks like we can continue on. Staff presentation. Yeah, thank you, Chair Rosman. Before we start the study session, just in talking to Chair Rosman. Oh, yes, thank you. I totally forgot. Takes two. So we did just want to make a point at the beginning of the meeting to note that applications for the upcoming vacancy on planning commission are currently open. And applications are due by April 29th, so about another week. So if you're all on the planning commission, but if you know of anyone that's interested, they've got a few more days to look into it. I think take my spot. And if if you come across anyone that's curious about it and um want to talk to staff, feel free to direct them to us. We're happy to chat with folks. Um and of course you can share your experience on the planning commission as well. So just wanted to note that at the beginning of the meeting for anyone that might be interested. And if anyone listening wants to get coffee or talk, I'm always welcome. I'm always happy to sit down and talk to anyone who's interested. Whether or not it's planning commission, if it's a different board or commission, those are also open through the same time period. So it's not just planning commission. I want to note that. So Parks Board, Transportation, Human Services. I think there's some openings on the civil service. Civil service. Okay, yeah. So there's a number of them. So if you are interested in getting involved at the city level, boards and commissions are a great place to do that. Um look online and you can see all the ones that are open right now through the 29th. Great. And with that, I think we're ready to start the study session. So we put this on the agenda after talking to the planning commission and holding the public hearing for some amendments to the station area code. The commission expressed an interest in hearing about what the rest of city staff is doing on the activation front. So specifically hearing from our economic development manager, Jen Davis Hayes, on a lot of the work that she's doing out in the community to let people know about the 85th Street station area.

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