[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6393628,"mediaKeyId","2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917","parentId",2106629,"title","Council hears update on Houghton Village plan as consultants promote Option B and stress flexibility","audioSeconds",3541,"startMs",1079000,"endMs",4620000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917&start=1079&end=4620","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917/thumbnail_1079000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6393628/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Council-hears-update-on-Houghton-Village-plan-as-consultants-promote-Option-B-and-stress-flexibility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393628-469a360a94b886d82d23fbaf598d4304/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197337&Signature=FUs4gSGIvH-w~ktBa1cjcNCVXktT-MO65IwrkzTmRW4WXsSDfCFOoKzE~oQu8J7uvjPes~UJImCK9FSFRfLVf6FhKuDxe8FAU3qAfHoXQ8XUu4OgZwenFzAVQebIjH7IVbe0xBllmrRV-Pq6mCkk9wCnPJ-877NeHgOZ94Iz7uBUiwg6~JGisvbReM0s1E49crkafNDJYSS-dkvkfNnbobpmmRQ0rlMZnVocisxhaTQnwEpmCx8snlgFcGJskpy6sfnvH629XweSlvOBKhEzMCzVc~xgCOJ785KG85EvoKiwofTQQ-epGVIXPxZxAcVYVTnvvkrl96nnmQ~xfk0XXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kirkland City, WA","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","City officials and consultants presented a draft development plan for the city‑owned Houghton Village site and asked the City Council for feedback, with staff stressing the presentation was for input rather than final decisions.

The draft plan, labeled “Option B,” envisions two mixed‑use buildings with roughly 145 residential units combined, about 26,000 square feet of ground‑floor commercial and community space, and a shared below‑grade parking garage. Consultants and staff emphasized a central public courtyard linking 68th Avenue Northeast to a proposed connection to the Cross Kirkland Corridor and Lakeview Elementary School.

The plan is framed as a response to a 2022 council resolution authorizing purchase of the property and its stated goals to preserve affordable housing, community space and arts uses. “Tonight, this is our opportunity to get feedback. So not looking for any final decisions on the development plan. This is your chance to provide us with input,” Deputy City Manager of External Affairs Jim Lopez told the council.

Why it matters: the Houghton Village site is city‑owned and was acquired after the property came to market; the council’s earlier resolution tied the purchase to public benefits including affordable housing and nonprofit space. The draft is meant to guide a future disposition strategy and developer selection while balancing community concerns about building height, traffic and school impacts.

Details of the draft plan

Heidi Oian, project architect, presented a site plan that adds a new street extension (an alignment of 106th Avenue) to reduce curb cuts on Northeast 68th Street, locate a single garage entry off the new street, and create a north plaza with a raised crosswalk to the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC). Oian said the design would consolidate parking into “1 below grade, 1 level sloped parking garage with 230 stalls,” and noted code‑required parking under current code would be roughly 355 stalls while station‑area ratios would require fewer (about 180), placing the draft plan between those figures.

Echo Northwest consultant Tyler Bump reviewed feasibility work and told council that parking requirements “greatly affect development feasibility,” and that cooperative ownership or higher levels of affordability can be achievable but are sensitive to tax credit timing and parking costs. “Reducing parking requirements is really important to the feasibility of the site,” Bump said, urging clarity on disposition priorities and developer selection criteria.

Community input and council concerns

Staff summarized public outreach dating to January 2022 and identified four recurring themes: building heights, sense of place, safety and traffic. Lopez said community members repeatedly praised central public spaces and the integration of art, while raising concerns about five‑story massing and the coalescence of two buildings into a single unified place.

Several council members pressed staff and consultants on specific tradeoffs:

- Councilor Amy Falcone asked how changing the mix of retail, nonprofit and community space would affect feasibility. “I would want to prioritize more nonprofit office space in addition to the shared kind of community space,” Falcone said, and asked for modeling of alternative mixes.

- Councilor Pam Sweet urged caution about over‑committing to retail and restaurants, noting downtown examples where commercial uses took longer to materialize. “It worries me … for us to over commit,” she said, while supporting phasing and flexibility.

- Councilor Tim Chisholm emphasized housing as the primary mission. Chisholm said he wanted clearer evidence that four‑ or five‑story designs were the right path to deliver workforce housing and asked for a three‑story option to compare unit yields and feasibility.

Consultants replied that removing the fifth story would reduce units significantly: Heidi Oian said removing one story would eliminate roughly 38 units (about 26 percent), and removing two stories would yield roughly 69 units, which could shift the likely building typology toward townhouses. Tyler Bump reiterated that fewer residential floors make it harder to finance structured parking and commercial ground floor space.

Council direction and next steps

Council members generally supported continuing the planning work with more detail and with explicit flexibility built into an adopted development plan. City staff said they would bring back additional analysis on a three‑story alternative, refine draft language to allow flexible ground‑floor uses, and proceed with targeted developer outreach.

Deputy Mayor Nora Arnold summarized staff’s next step: “To come back with language that shows some of the examples…maybe they would say this is a caveat or this is what it could look like,” and asked if that approach worked for council. Several council members voiced support for continuing to recruit development partners and returning with a revised development plan.

Larger context

The plan references the council’s prior resolution authorizing purchase of the property and cites city code and design standards that would apply to future entitlement and RFP processes. Staff and consultants described the draft design guidelines as illustrations that could be refined during developer selection and detailed design.

What’s next

Staff will return with the requested materials, including modeling of a three‑story alternative, more explicit flexible language for ground‑floor uses, and a plan for outreach to potential developers and funding partners. No formal actions or votes were taken during the study session.

Ending note

Councilors repeatedly emphasized flexibility and the need to balance housing, community services and safety improvements, with several asking staff to preserve options rather than adopt prescriptive use lists.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kirkland City Council Meeting January 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City officials and consultants presented a draft Houghton Village development plan and asked the City Council for feedback; staff said the presentation was for input, not final decisions.","taxTitle","Kirkland, King County, Washington","taxId",2569,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393610,"Pilot bike‑valet program drew volunteer support; staff and volunteers recommend continued and expanded use at events",682,7127000,7809000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917&start=7127&end=7809","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917/thumbnail_7127000.jpg","/articles/6393610/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Pilot-bikevalet-program-drew-volunteer-support-staff-and-volunteers-recommend-continued-and-expanded-use-at-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393610-3707a8ad6676199cc6364819a6d7e6a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197337&Signature=L~Rj2cc3Icsukt5rXWnmgIGyLyr4D~kXAcnc~QBZhzgYZAgTfzaLB3MxI9OoKsvoOximwSNV8D9tvGfqSHwH3OFpKAGhJ36iGDM-UdhgXhYDW-g1BicV8ixwuWnzb9YckSd8WIdZhgS12lJVf4KFhDUfEQJ3NZ1WKxoSM20akNmij9mHxjTzAjUF6Un-KB02vYcKXTYear4XzGwGx6IT5By7pgfp~FwZ9~o4x6aqvRbeLF1BVE6f6sNIpJRyu5MYrDDgcbQmWNmwkKWx-~YAQORHzNGgidPaazBrCILtN86bmFlL8j0Vs1R~8n9UW3D244R027MwwOMKO6wQZ1CNYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Volunteers running a pilot bike‑valet program reported early results to the City Council and recommended expanding the service at city events, improving storage for equipment and recruiting additional stewards.

Lisa McConnell, a program steward, told council that the volunteer pilot ran at multiple summer events and that recorded use on 14 logged days totaled 73 bikes; volunteers estimated an average two‑mile avoided car trip per bike for those events. McConnell said volunteers contributed 283 hours over the pilot period.

McConnell described where the service operated — the Wednesday market, Harvest Festival (the most successful event with 38 bikes recorded), summer movies and other downtown events — and asked that the city integrate bike‑valet details into event advertising, provide minimal dedicated storage for equipment and expand volunteer recruitment to include high‑school interns and sustainability program students. “For well under the cost of 1 surface lot car parking spot, about 150 additional people last year were able to easily go downtown or shop at the farmers market or attend an event without a vehicle parking,” McConnell said.

Council response and next steps

Council members asked about volunteer onboarding and age requirements; McConnell said the service uses the city’s volunteer registration system and noted the potential to tap school sustainability programs and high‑school volunteer pools. Deputy Mayor Nora Arnold thanked the stewards and noted the city’s volunteer‑hour valuation of the program at roughly $10,600 based on state standards. Council members suggested exploring permanent solutions such as secure lockers for regular bike parking while keeping valet as a portable, event‑based service.

Why it matters

Councilors framed the program as an opportunity to increase active transportation at community events, reduce car parking demand at high‑attendance events and encourage wider use of bike infrastructure.

Ending note

Volunteers asked staff to consider modest storage for equipment, integrate valet into event promotion, and recruit stewards from school programs; no formal council action was required.","Volunteers operating a city pilot bike‑valet program reported 283 volunteer hours and about 73 bike check‑ins at recorded events; volunteers and councilors recommended better long‑term storage, integration into event advertising, and recruitment of high‑school or intern stewards.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393615,"Council adopts local amendments to International Fire Code; ordinance passes unanimously",1179,6487000,7666000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917&start=6487&end=7666","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917/thumbnail_6487000.jpg","/articles/6393615/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Council-adopts-local-amendments-to-International-Fire-Code-ordinance-passes-unanimously","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393615-e3b573fcd9c5298417ce46dadd92d958/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197337&Signature=MfKFSvSh8VHRcxrnbw97-6CiuQRa-mN8AOIJl0zJzozGAp1LIGjU0Z2gUO7dv6p14txknWC~9yyadE8-F3TkEOag6JeVhy9owzB0ZBFtcbRpEK25wVmSXJwK1hEEFFaEB9ssnmd26FmhETEQCxEE9i7bj6LUJ-sjmcJ446z5iz7hDfQwKavEfRMlU12VTQGf5CbWkbthgz1ULg0EldhmhKrKQ3bnMRcm7PbVQ1TR6cgNWmz0KO0qzuX8l0eqcNPRSTX0cEY0aObuyh3J17RXkJr~Lk0gtoX79nGSkY3-bY4t2eOPtDwjspYARU1RVJwtjLycwh8ienkTjkihIdgbRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kirkland City Council adopted local amendments to the International Fire Code (2021 edition) on a unanimous 6–0 roll‑call vote, approving Ordinance 4889.

What the ordinance does

Assistant Fire Marshal Jason Chappell told the council the ordinance updates the city’s fire code to align with the model code changes and to add a set of local amendments. Major elements described by staff include:

- New model sections such as emergency responder communications (distributed antenna systems) and a consolidated section for energy storage systems (battery energy storage), which were introduced in the 2018–2021 code cycles.

- A local operational permit for “positive alarm sequence” (PAS) responses, which allows a human verification step in some alarm events before fire apparatus are automatically dispatched.

- A civil enforcement mechanism for code violations (civil infractions) to supplement the city’s existing misdemeanor enforcement approach; staff said the addition is meant to provide a graduated enforcement tool for prolonged or recurring deficiencies.

- An operational permit and maintenance approach for gates that block fire access on private properties; staff explained examples such as gated access at the city maintenance yard and residential gates where the fire department’s response requires controlled access.

Council discussion and vote

Councilors asked clarifying questions about how gated access is handled and whether the permit would add cost or delay response times. Chappell said the operational permit is intended to document and verify that gate mechanisms—click‑to‑enter systems, Knox boxes or key‑card access—remain operable and that the effect on response time should be minimal when gates are permitted and maintained. He noted staff is exploring options to keep costs low for single‑family applicants and the proposed annual maintenance permit would be modest.

Deputy Mayor Nora Arnold moved the ordinance; Councilor Amy Falcone seconded. The city clerk called a roll and the ordinance passed 6–0 (Council members Tim Chisen, Black, Sweet, Falcone, Deputy Mayor Arnold and Mayor Kelly Curtis voted in favor). The ordinance was recorded by the clerk as adopted \"as amended.\" The ordinance will take effect under standard municipal timelines unless otherwise noted in the adopted text.

Why it matters

The amendments align local requirements with recent national code changes (notably emergency communications and energy storage), strengthen the city’s enforcement toolbox for long‑running fire‑safety deficiencies, and formalize expectations for property owners who install gates across fire access routes.

Ending note

No public vote was required beyond the council ordinance adoption. Staff said they will finalize administrative guidance for property owners on gates and the positive alarm sequence permit to reduce implementation friction.","The City Council passed Ordinance 4889 amending local adoption of the International Fire Code (2021 cycle) including updated emergency responder communications, energy storage provisions, and new local enforcement tools; roll‑call was 6–0 in favor.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393620,"Council briefed on state \"middle housing\" requirements; staff recommends phased adoption of minimum standards",1712,4634000,6346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917&start=4634&end=6346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106629-51ffb85ad87d0e086be4194e3b927917/thumbnail_4634000.jpg","/articles/6393620/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Council-briefed-on-state-middle-housing-requirements-staff-recommends-phased-adoption-of-minimum-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393620-9eaf64e38ab4e44bc5e881751bae6d44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197337&Signature=Cs0USWIJwm8anMWTXkb2pCt4PWcRGW4ibzB0GdG9Trl52-4GvOFYO9i41zhDQnAMHYXTZp6jKDWYjlh8oK2arr0ZTnAynAVO3Z~c3xbiZ8ncAJ885kcimn5AkLrBBB7OXHu7vNMLySwHjN9A69on5L9jcwkcC6EvV60zmOKO6a2YiYIM8TmAHzNVMsvXViFfQ19ArVXPAH4VKvj~zM5suTuyB3klYbj7tKvZBAxUhkVQJ4FetKsvQu3Lholb7nhYd1ZsCjs7eRzeD99wymno70XjJOO1PYNJgObjG8w1cibToYCKI~imLGbbZCOcZd8OmFaCWXhzk51Ml~VuB3WNuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff briefed the Council on state legislation that requires cities to update development standards to accommodate additional housing types and higher residential densities; staff recommended a phased approach that meets minimum state requirements now and leaves optimization and broader public engagement for a follow‑up phase.

Senior planner Scott (last name in staff packet) opened the briefing by listing the state bills that drive the changes and the limited timeline for compliance. “This legislation is time sensitive. Most of the legislation is due, for cities to amend by, the middle of the year. So we have about 6 months to get this done,” the planner said.

Key elements staff outlined

- HB 1110 (and substitute language): sets new density allowances and a requirement to permit a range of middle‑housing types across residential zones, with specific thresholds (four units per lot or up to six units under certain conditions) and a list of housing typologies. Staff noted the state also provides a model code but recommended tailoring code changes to local conditions rather than adopting the model code verbatim.

- HB 1337: updates accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules; municipalities must adjust height, location and parking rules to comply.

- SB 6015: relaxes certain residential parking standards (including allowing tandem parking and other alternatives) and requires municipalities to address nonconforming parking situations.

- HB 1293 and HB 1998: affect local design review rules and co‑living / residential suite regulations, respectively; the latter requires jurisdictions to allow residential suites by right where six units or more are permitted.

Staff recommendation and rationale

Given statutory deadlines and scope, staff recommended adopting the minimum state standards now and reserving deeper “optimization”—for example, incentives, inclusionary policy reconsideration, and more tailored design standards—for a future phase of work with more intensive public engagement. Scott told council the approach would allow the city to meet the legal deadline while buying time to study citywide effects, including inclusionary requirements and multiunit development policy.

Council questions and direction

Council members asked clarifying questions about how the state thresholds apply, where the city could be allowed to exempt areas (e.g., critical areas), and the timing of future work. Councilor Pam Sweet asked about the affordability thresholds and staff said the state’s affordability numbers in the bills are generally 60 percent of area median income for rentals and 80 percent for homeownership when the statute references deeper affordability. Councilors emphasized the need to manage public expectations and asked staff to be clear about what elements are mandatory versus those open to local policy choices.

Deputy Mayor Nora Arnold and others emphasized public engagement, but several councilors—including Councilor Lisa Falcone and Councilor Pam Sweet—favored the phased approach to meet the mid‑year compliance deadline while planning more thorough outreach later. “I agree with the phased approach, and we should continue the conversation,” Falcone said.

Inclusionary policy and follow‑up

Staff flagged the city’s inclusionary housing requirement as an area for closer review given the broadening of multifamily development citywide; the planning commission had previously recommended consideration of a pilot (Pioneer) provision. City staff suggested possible temporary or phased options to avoid unintended consequences as the code changes roll forward.

What’s next

Staff proposed a schedule that would return to council with draft amendments in spring and recommended outreach tied to the compliance schedule, using existing project web pages and mailing lists to inform the public. No adoption vote took place; council generally agreed staff should proceed with a minimum‑standards compliance package and bring back additional analysis and public engagement options.

Ending note

Councilors asked staff to be explicit in outreach about the limits to local discretion under state law, and to use the phased approach to gather public input for future optimization work.","City planning staff briefed council on time‑sensitive state laws (HB 1110 and related bills) requiring changes to local rules to allow more middle‑housing types; staff recommended adopting the state minimums now and pursuing further optimization through a second phase of public engagement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears update on Houghton Village plan as consultants promote Option B and stress flexibility

Pilot bike‑valet program drew volunteer support; staff and volunteers recommend continued and expanded use at events

Council adopts local amendments to International Fire Code; ordinance passes unanimously

Council briefed on state "middle housing" requirements; staff recommends phased adoption of minimum standards