Kirkland Allowing Signs for Businesses Providing Essential Services

Published on March 23, 2020

Media Contact:
Kellie Stickney
Communications Program Manager
kstickney@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 979-6562

KIRKLAND, Wash. – Effective immediately, to support restaurants and other businesses providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kirkland City Manager has ordered the suspension of enforcement of the temporary Sign Code.

Code Enforcement Officers will not enforce the use of temporary signs such as “A-frames” displayed by essential businesses for the term of the current COVID 19 emergency proclamation.

For purposes of this order, the following current rules shall be maintained:

• Temporary signs must be 6 square feet per sign’s face or less and be easily removable (e.g. A-frame signs)

Temporary signs shall not:

• Be located in travel lanes
• Block sight distance at intersections
• Block pedestrian movement on sidewalks

The purpose of this order is for essential businesses to more effectively communicate with their customers their location, available services and how to get take-out and grab-and-go orders.

The City wants to avoid excessive sign clutter that could result in less effective messaging. If temporary sign rules are not followed, or if too many temporary signs are placed in business districts, Code Enforcement reserves the right to work with businesses to collaboratively reduce the size and number of temporary signs.
The City will continue to update its website with information on the COVID-19 outbreak.