Blog

Kirkland Comprehensive Plan Update – October 2024

Hello middle housing fans – Kirkland is active in the development of their comprehensive plan updates. Current activity as of the upcoming October 10th Planning Commission meeting shows current focus is on review of proposed Housing Element language and policies for incorporation into the comprehensive plan document. Policies in the approved comp plan are what ultimately will guide zoning code updates later, so this is very important framework for what’s to come. The housing element policies are rooted among many things, including public feedback, planning principles, historical and projected data regarding the City’s growth, and state-mandated requirements such as HB1110 and middle housing. October’s meeting documents show that policies are being refined to address specific housing needs such as target income levels and the type(s) of housing that best support them, ways to encourage responsible development, and maintain or increase access to all housing in fair and equitable ways.  The documents also include supplemental case studies supporting the policy recommendations.

The Planning Commission is currently scheduled to continue refining the comp plan policies to prepare their recommendation on the draft comprehensive plan that includes all feedback and revisions to date for City Council by mid-October. The current target for final review and adoption of the comp plan by City Council is targeted for December 10, 2024. Once the comp plan is in place, new zoning code changes may be formally approved. Until the housing element portions of the comp plan are addressed by the Planning Commission, likely no draft code in large part will be available for comment – but we’ll keep looking for it nonetheless!