Kirkland’s Final
2044 Comprehensive Plan
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Highlights from the December 10, 2024 Kirkland City Council Meeting
You can watch the entire meeting here.
THE GOOD
There are voices of reason on our City Council
Councilmembers Jon Pascal and John Tymczyszyn worked extremely hard to pass moderating, common-sense amendments. They were joined at times by Councilmember Jay Arnold in providing a voice of reason. In a huge break from tradition, Jon Pascal and John Tymczyszyn VOTED AGAINST the Comprehensive Plan. They voiced the concerns we have been raising for months - this plan was poorly constructed, did not include adequate input from residents, and was extremely chaotic and rushed (major changes were made hours before the final vote!). They both raised concerns about ill-defined terms throughout the plan and the lack of clear growth maps.
Residential Zoning was saved - at least for now!
If the Washington state legislature passes laws requiring looser development restrictions in areas where the land use designation includes "Mixed Use", Kirkland’s residential neighborhoods will not automatically be impacted.
Note that the City Council could change zoning in Residential areas anyway.
Transit Corridors were not included!
May they rest in peace, never to return. What is a Transit Corridor? Check out the initial proposal here.
THE BAD
Transit Corridors are out but the ENTIRE CITY is in!
While Transit Corridors did not return, the Council passed several policies (reproduced below) that aim to increase development in and near "10-minute neighborhoods". There is a very lengthy and broad definition for 10-minute neighborhoods included in the 2044 Comprehensive Plan. References to 10-minute neighborhoods were added to these policies on the day of the vote.
By including 10-minute neighborhoods, together with the words "in and near", the Council has essentially opened up the entire City for development. Councilmember Penny Sweet specifically called out Market Street as an area where she wants to see significant new development.
Policy LU-3.2: "Focus the development of affordable housing and higher intensity residential uses, offices, community facilities, shops, and services in and near Urban Growth Centers and neighborhood centers, and 10-minute neighborhoods."
** The addition of “10-minute neighborhoods” in this policy was approved by Councilmembers Falcone, Curtis, Black, Sweet, and Arnold; Councilmembers Pascal and Tymczyszyn voted against including it.
Policy LU-2.6: "Expand access to housing by growing Kirkland's regional Urban Growth Centers, neighborhood centers, and 10-minute neighborhoods."
** "10-minute neighborhoods" was added to this policy by Councilmember Amy Falcone. Its addition was approved by Councilmembers Falcone, Curtis, Black, and Sweet; Councilmembers Pascal and Tymczyszyn voted against including it.
Our City officials want significantly more development
Our City Staff, in pushing for transit corridors, has shown that they are very interested in aggressively increasing development throughout Kirkland. BEAR THIS IN MIND AS WE ELECT OFFICIALS IN THE COMING YEARS. THE ONLY CHECK ON OUR CITY STAFF (WHO ARE UNELECTED) WILL BE THE COMMON SENSE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE UGLY
We have a Frankenstein of a Comprehensive Plan
It is a mash of policies cobbled together in the final weeks before the Washington state submission deadline. Many of these policies were crafted without significant time for reflection. The process has shown us that the City did not put value on the comments of Kirkland's residents until extremely late in the game. The voices of outside interest groups were favored from the start years ago, while our neighbors stumbled upon this plan in the last 8 months.
Livability of our Neighborhoods
The livability of our neighborhoods (and thus the livability of our existing residents) was not highlighted in the plan until Councilmember John Tymczyszyn introduced an amendment on December 10th adding it. Councilmembers Black and Falcone voted against the policy.
New Policy GP-5.#:
"Support and promote the livability of our neighborhoods."
** Approved by Councilmembers Tymczyszyn, Pascal, Arnold, Curtis, and Sweet; Councilmembers Black and Falcone voted against including it.