Neighborhood Planning

Urban Centers are regionally-designated places that contain a mix of uses and activities, connected by efficient transportation, and are well-suited to accommodate future growth. The Countywide Planning Policies designate two Urban Centers in Kirkland. Totem Lake Urban Center (2003) and Greater Downtown Kirkland (2019). The City continues to work with the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) on an application to designate the greater downtown area as a Regional Growth Center. The PSRC is requiring the City to submit, as part of the application, a consolidated plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Center(PDF, 9MB). The consolidated plan will provide one document that contains all the policies relevant to the planning of the proposed Urban Center. The plan will involve revising policies in the Moss Bay, Rose Hill, Everest, Highlands, and Norkirk neighborhood plans. If you would like to be involved in the update of the consolidated plan process, look for public outreach opportunities in 2021. 

Each neighborhood has its own plan, which is a document that charts the course for its future. The core purpose of each plan is to help define - through goals, objectives and policies - how each neighborhood should promote mobility, accommodate forecasted household and job growth, and provide open space and recreational opportunities, and other vital services, all in line with the City's Comprehensive Plan.

The City uses the Neighborhood Planning Framework(PDF, 295KB) as a guide for the neighborhood plan update process. The framework helps the community and City staff navigate the neighborhood planning process in order to build better plans. The framework provides a starting point for creating a schedule and work program that are customized to the needs of the neighborhood. The framework establishes expectations for both the neighborhood and City staff throughout the planning process. Lastly, it includes a cookbook of policies to help the community design policies that will shape its future.