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Kenmore public commenters press planning commission on housing, environment and sidewalks
Summary
Public commenters at the Jan. 7 Kenmore Planning Commission meeting urged more citizen engagement on housing, protection of environmentally sensitive areas and improvements to sidewalks and street safety.
Three on‑site and three virtual residents addressed the Planning Commission during the public‑comment period on Jan. 7, focusing on housing policy and process, protection of riparian and other environmentally sensitive areas, sidewalks and street conditions.
Patrick O’Brien of Kenmore congratulated the commissioners and urged more outreach and transparency. He asked the city to share engineering plans for developments near State Route 522 and raised concerns about large, monolithic buildings adjacent to the corridor; he also suggested the city pursue park development at the Lake Point site but noted liability concerns and said the city should “benefit from it” rather than take on the liability.
John Culver, identified as a Kenmore City Council member, urged the commission to oppose creating a separate, new committee to review the state’s STEP Ordinance (shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing rules) and instead recommended the council place the ordinance on the Planning Commission docket. “As duly appointed planning commissioners, this is squarely in your all’s charge,” Culver said, adding that he favored avoiding a parallel committee structure that could delay adoption of model state language.
Elizabeth Mooney, speaking as a Kenmore resident and longtime environmental advocate, asked commissioners to preserve ecologically sensitive buffers along Swamp Creek, the Sammamish River and a local feature she called “Chit Chat Thal on 61st,” and to use the comprehensive plan to protect riparian functions when making zoning and middle‑housing decisions.
Virtual commenters raised safety and infrastructure concerns: Jeremy Scott and Blaise Antrimas (a student at Inglemoor High School) described missing sidewalks, potholes and unsafe intersections; Stacy Valenzuela urged commissioners to seek wide public outreach, work sessions and transparency on projects and questioned funding allocations tied to redevelopment projects, saying she wanted more money directed to Swamp Creek and affordable housing rather than large infrastructure projects.
Ending: The chair thanked all speakers and said public comment would be forwarded to the commission and council as the 2025 docket and related code work proceed.
