[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6173705,"mediaKeyId","5378367-87753fe32b48cef7cc9b037d632c8819","parentId",5378367,"title","Planning Commission reviews 2025 miscellaneous code package; artificial turf exemption and state compliance items highlighted","audioSeconds",429,"startMs",2504170,"endMs",2933745,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5378367-87753fe32b48cef7cc9b037d632c8819&start=2504&end=2933","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5378367-87753fe32b48cef7cc9b037d632c8819/thumbnail_2504170.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6173705/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Planning-Commission-reviews-2025-miscellaneous-code-package-artificial-turf-exemption-and-state-compliance-items-highlighted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173705-ed696f7ead09cf29a47049bf84135912/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971988&Signature=NdFba52aOVsCaGt9YViLS-aTPNAS-uAvxT~0ZTISzI1yU-ZxU-3wdrxE3UweXPABZEcJaVp2gdodpVwmpvnoXtcjUkpbkCW6FnyCnCEeevSHv40l87flduhCjpnhPa~ykNb7b5ryUV32RdeELX41NqDqTprt5hA28ur9Vdw9yBwWhP-WUHOePVbwLIlNtsAF-tLv4jiwxX5iuCnbUqjWYO5xOgHGZp1gBf4rhc~kdHTPpI4drMFG2123wbzvbcEaw3F5AXof2398SufV4DhBE0rB6Gu78YgdkBLdqMo5b2VOZxef6xf0ncHRGrnVoEDUIWP1BdkVGRCbcyFRk4fI~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kirkland City, WA","date","2025-07-13T12:03:09.453Z","article","KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kirkland Planning Department staff presented a 2025 miscellaneous code amendment package at a Planning Commission briefing, highlighting a council‑directed change to the city’s artificial‑turf lot‑coverage exemption and several zoning updates required by recent state legislation.
Senior planner Peter Milliken told the commission the package groups about 22 edits into three categories: code consistency cleanups, a council‑directed item on artificial turf, and several changes needed to comply with recently adopted state bills. “This is similar to the packages that we bring every year with various items throughout the code that we want to fix or tidy up,” Milliken said.
On artificial turf, staff said City Council directed increasing the existing partial exemption from 50% of the turf area to 75% (a 25 percentage point increase). Milliken summarized the council action: “They decided to move forward with the 25% increase. So that would be changing the current exemption from 50% of the area being exempt to 75% of artificial turf installation area being exempted.” Staff explained the change does not alter the city’s overall maximum lot‑coverage limit or existing protections for trees and critical areas; it adjusts how much artificial turf is treated as partially exempt material for lot‑coverage calculations.
Commissioners raised environmental concerns and implementation questions. Commissioner Scott Reiser said he is “a little more hesitant” about wide homeowner use because of durability and landfill disposal concerns. Reiser urged that the city study turf impacts and consider offsets such as additional tree plantings. Several commissioners suggested the turf question could be included in the city’s sustainability strategic plan update rather than becoming a high‑priority standalone work program item.
Staff also outlined state‑law compliance items planned for the package including amendments related to House Bill 1935 (building permit definition), HB 1042 (SEPA and concurrency exemptions for commercial‑to‑residential conversions and station area residential conversions), and HB 1220 (definitions for emergency and supportive housing). Milliken said some changes have immediate statutory deadlines and others are housekeeping to add definitions and references to state RCW language.
The commission asked for diagrams showing real‑world lot examples to clarify how the turf exemption would apply in sites where houses and paving already use much of the allowable lot coverage. Staff said the full miscellaneous package will return for a public hearing in August; if the commission issues a recommendation, the package is tentatively scheduled to go to City Council for consideration in September.
Discussion vs. decision: the briefing recorded council direction on turf (increase to 75% exemption) and commission feedback; the commission did not adopt final ordinance language at the briefing. The package will be formalized in draft code, posted for public comment and heard by the commission and council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kirkland Planning Commission Meeting July 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Kirkland staff briefed the commission on an annual package of miscellaneous code amendments, including a council‑directed increase to the artificial‑turf partial lot‑coverage exemption, and a set of state law compliance updates; commissioners asked for diagrams, a public hearing and further study on environmental impacts.","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},6173711,"Kirkland planners direct staff to draft co‑living code with hybrid parking standard and no inclusionary requirement",2281,166630,2447700,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5378367-87753fe32b48cef7cc9b037d632c8819&start=166&end=2447","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5378367-87753fe32b48cef7cc9b037d632c8819/thumbnail_166630.jpg","/articles/6173711/Kirkland/King-County/Washington/Kirkland-planners-direct-staff-to-draft-coliving-code-with-hybrid-parking-standard-and-no-inclusionary-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173711-e10318698542716f68217ec54b56673a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971988&Signature=PPB5Pj8YkIXh7yxwfg~L2~AiNB~-9Zkh9lKKWXeE5pVxgGSc1xIx6Fb6YVTz0sJWsNKyrngAhQQxkX1kSZdyBVCeE-7YANDyggB9ev4K-ygS6RHkqBFTkFhexya97Aj9tt2AmY3KZf2-ayErfx1Bv3RhPMNz-h47X7RA1snvE-94Z4OYuTkI3oJgLgiGkmUg0sONUwm1G90zYS~IjfAuf~aO-5JjQeGCRJjLH-bOtSzYnYaEy8WVGu9fCP9GQiY0YEfCT-jWBNAXJ7Z-J1J6b2oiTNQsvPG51VZzDf2YgIZbujQpXghoWtMkRH~cO3dwZgl56qNeYRFvumClQIC-NA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","KIRKLAND, Wash. — Planning staff briefed the Kirkland Planning Commission on proposed code amendments to implement Washington House Bill 1998 and directed staff to draft an ordinance that uses a hybrid parking standard and does not require inclusionary on‑site affordable units for co‑living developments.
The briefing, led by associate planner Martha Rhubarb, explained that HB 1998 requires cities to allow co‑living housing as a permitted use on lots where at least six multifamily units are allowed and sets limits on density counting and room‑size restrictions. “Today's presentation is a briefing on the Code Amendment Project and approach for minimum compliance with State House Bill 19 98 for co living housing,” Rhubarb said.
Commissioners and staff discussed density, unit configuration, parking, and how existing local rules for “residential suites” overlap with the new state requirements. Under the state law, co‑living sleeping units count as no more than one quarter of a dwelling unit for density calculations; Rhubarb noted that “if the underlying zone allows for seven dwelling units...for co living you could develop four times that number,” subject to other development standards. The law also bars room‑dimension requirements and requires that co‑living be subject to the same review and development standards as other residential uses in the zone.
Staff recommended replacing the current residential‑suites use listing with a new co‑living housing chapter that defers most design and bulk standards to the multifamily rules for each zone. On parking, staff offered two options: minimum compliance with the co‑living bill, or a hybrid that also applies the limits from Senate Bill 5184 (the commission previously opted to implement SB 5184 early in other projects). Under the hybrid option staff outlined, parking minimums would be zero spaces per unit near major transit and would incorporate the SB 5184 threshold for units under 1,200 square feet or for affordable units.
Commissioners asked about how sleeping units are defined and whether units might include couples; Rhubarb answered that the definition limits a co‑living sleeping unit to a single sleeping space but does not set occupancy limits beyond building code. Vice Chair Angela Rosman, citing local data, said existing developments on the East Side had rents “pretty much all below 70% AMI” and that about “65% of the people living in them right now make below 60% AMI,” comments she gave as background on observed affordability in current co‑living stock.
After discussion, staff sought direction on parking and inclusionary (affordable housing) requirements. Allison (staff member) summarized the commission’s direction: the draft code will include option B for parking (the hybrid approach) and will not require on‑site inclusionary affordable housing for co‑living units. That draft will return to the commission for a public hearing and then to City Council for potential adoption per the schedule in the staff report.
Discussion vs. decision: commissioners debated policy choices—parking standards, whether to apply existing inclusionary zoning to co‑living, and outreach—without a formal recorded vote; staff recorded the commission’s consensus direction and will prepare draft code that reflects it. The commission did move the topic into the public‑hearing track but did not adopt final regulations at the briefing.
Next steps: staff will prepare draft code language reflecting the hybrid parking approach and no inclusionary requirement for co‑living, publish materials for public outreach, hold a planning commission public hearing, and forward a recommendation to City Council for consideration.","At a Planning Commission briefing, staff outlined code changes to implement Washington’s co‑living law; commissioners signaled support for a hybrid parking standard and for drafting the ordinance without an inclusionary (on‑site affordable housing) requirement, returning the draft for public hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning Commission reviews 2025 miscellaneous code package; artificial turf exemption and state compliance items highlighted

Kirkland planners direct staff to draft co‑living code with hybrid parking standard and no inclusionary requirement