Welcome to the Kirkland Design Review Board! Thank you for volunteering your talents and time to participate in this important activity. Serving on the Board allows you to play a key role in shaping the visual character of the community. Many of the design issues you will face will be a measurement of the community's success in accommodating growth. In the process, you will also learn a lot and undoubtedly enjoy yourself.
But what exactly will you do? This manual was created to help answer that question. While there is no substitute for learning on the job, the information in this manual will assist you in getting up to speed and can serve as an ongoing reference to help you function effectively during your tenure on the Board. As you will see, the manual is actually a collection of documents borrowed from a variety of other sources. It is anticipated that the manual will be revised over time to reflect changes to the documents within or add other useful information. If you come across information that would be of use to other Board members, please share it with staff to incorporate into the manual.
The manual is organized into the following sections:
II. City Mission and Organization
City Mission and Organization(PDF, 141KB)
Includes information about the mission and organization of the City and the Planning and Building Department.
A. City Mission
B. City Organization Chart
IV. Procedures
Procedures(PDF, 257KB)
Provides general information about the role and functions of the Design Review Board.
A. DRB Rules of Procedure
B. Role of Council and Commission Members
C. Role of the Chair
D. Questions to Improve Discussions
E. Basic Information on Motions
F. Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance
V. Legal Issues
Legal Issues(PDF, 263KB)
Addresses legal considerations that are important to the conduct of the Design Review Board business.
A. Development Decision Making
B. Rights and Responsibilities in Planning
C. Appearance in Fairness
D. Open Meeting Act
VI. Tips for Boards and Commissions
Tips for Boards and Commissions(PDF, 168KB)
Includes tips for being an effective Design Review Board member.
A. Serving Effectively as a Board Member
B. Criteria for an Effective Meeting
C. Effective Commissioners
VIII. Supplemental Information