On October 18, 2023 the City issued a Determination of Significance and Scoping Notice to allow people to submit comments on what should be evaluated in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan update.
The City of Kirkland believes that the 2044 Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Plan updates will have beneficial environmental impacts in that it seeks to shape future growth in a way that promotes housing choice, transit access, transportation mode shift, open space protection, and sustainability. However, in order to thoroughly evaluate the potential environmental effects of the Comprehensive Plan, and to provide an opportunity for additional public comment, the City has elected to prepare a Supplemental Environment Impact Statement (SEIS) pursuant to RCW 43.21C.030 (2)(c).
A Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will study two alternatives, including the No Action Alternative (continuation of the current Comprehensive Plan) and a Likely Growth/Increased Capacity Action Alternative that include a change to growth levels and patterns, infrastructure investments, and service needs. The SEIS will supplement the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update & Totem Lake Planned Action - Final Environmental Impact Statement (November 2015) and the NE 85th Street Subarea Plan Final SEIS (December 2021).
No Action Alternative. This alternative will study a baseline of how growth is likely to occur under the current Comprehensive Plan policies, land use, Zoning, and transportation system that are in place today.
Likely Growth/Increased Capacity Action Alternative- This alternative will study focused land use changes in specific locations, a supportive transportation network, and other policy changes identified as study issues in order to identify any potential unavoidable significant impacts that may need to be mitigated. The following list of focused land use changes will be evaluated (subject to change based on scoping comments received):
Location of Potential Land Use Change (Neighborhood)
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Description of Change For Study
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Par Mac Business Park (Totem Lake)
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Density increases (including height increases) to accommodate up to 1,200 units of housing and up to 30,000 square feet of commercial space.
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Submitted as a Community-initiated Amendment Request (CAR); File No. CAM22-00873
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Totem Lake Southern Industrial Commercial Subarea (Totem Lake)
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Zoning changes to enable increases in capacity for housing units and office space.
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Added to study area for Par Mac Business Park CAR per Council direction; File No. CAM22-00023
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Density increases (including height increases) to accommodate up to 600 units of housing and up to 15,000 square feet of commercial space.
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Submitted by the property owner for consideration with the ongoing Juanita Neighborhood Plan update, File No. CAM23-0554
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Density increases (including height increases) to accommodate up to 350 units of housing and commercial space.
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Density increases to accommodate additional middle housing-type units within walking distance of bus lines and stops.
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Suggested by public comments, and directed for study by City Council.
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In addition, see summary of Potential Study Issues and Policy Changes for Elements(PDF, 810KB) of the Comprehensive Plan.
More information can be found by viewing the briefing memos submitted to the Planning Commission, City Council, Transportation Commission, and other Boards and Commissions section of this webpage.
For these two alternatives, the following topic areas will be discussed in the SEIS: Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, Housing, Transportation, Public Services (police protection, fire and emergency medical services, parks, and schools), and Utilities (stormwater, water, and sewer).
Scoping Comment Period dates: October 18-November 17, 2023
Provide written comments on what should be studied in the SEIS to City Contact below by November 17, 2023. Email comments are preferred to Janice Swenson, jswenson@kirklandwa.gov