Council narrows artificial‑turf lot‑coverage rule, asks staff to pursue later broader study

The Kirkland City Council on May 6 voted to change the city’s approach to counting artificial turf in residential lot‑coverage calculations and directed staff to return later with a broader study of turf impacts.

Nut graf: After a staff presentation about how artificial turf is treated under Kirkland’s lot‑coverage rules (currently a 50% exemption when turf is used in certain configurations), council approved a motion to adopt a revised policy that reduces artificial‑turf counting to 25% of the turf area when calculating lot coverage. Council also asked staff to pursue a subsequently‑timed, broader evaluation of turf environmental, stormwater and material impacts — ideally with regional partners and industry input.

Background and staff options: Senior planner Peter Milliken explained the current code treats certain permeable surfaces (pavers, artificial turf) as partially exempt from lot‑coverage calculations (50% exempt). Staff presented three options: retain the current approach, change the exemption percentage through a short code amendment (city‑level), or perform an extended study of best available science to inform a later code change.

Council action and reasoning: Councilmember Tim Chisholm moved, and Councilmember Falcone seconded, a motion to adopt an option equivalent to staff’s “Option 2” at a 25% count level for artificial turf, and to direct staff to pursue a broader Option 3 study in a later work program entry that would assess environmental, stormwater and material impacts and consider regional standards. Supporters said modern turf installations can be highly permeable and that the current 50% assumption penalizes homeowners who install high‑permeability turf; others urged caution and recommended a future evidence‑based review. The motion passed unanimously, 7‑0.

Implementation notes: Staff noted option‑2 requires a short code amendment and Planning Commission review; the later Option‑3 study could be incorporated into the city’s sustainability plan or a miscellaneous code‑amendment work program slot.

Ending: Staff will draft the short code amendment implementing a 25% counting approach for artificial turf, route it through the Planning Commission and return it to council; the broader turf study will be scoped and scheduled at staff discretion and in coordination with regional partners.