5. LAND USE

The Land Use discussion of the Neighborhood is considered in terms of the Downtown area and perimeter areas around the Downtown.

A. Downtown

The Downtown area is the historic commercial center of the City with many of the City’s most intensive land uses. The Downtown area is appropriate for a wide variety of uses. The area’s economic vitality and identity as a commercial center will depend upon its ability to establish and retain a critical mass of retail uses and services, primarily located west of 3rd Street, along pedestrian-oriented streets, and within Kirkland Urban. If this objective is not reached, it relegates the Downtown to a weaker and narrower commercial focus (i.e., restaurants and offices only) and lessens the opportunities and reasons for Kirkland residents and employees, and tourists, to frequent the Downtown.

The enhancement of the area for retail and service businesses will best be served by concentrating such uses in the pedestrian core and shoreline districts and by encouraging a substantial increase in the amount of housing and office floor area either within or adjacent to the core.

Policy MB-7:

Foster new development that is supportive of the Greater Downtown Urban Center and pending Regional Center designation in terms of: transit-supportive and business-supportive densities; provision of open space, childcare, public art, and other public amenities; provision of housing that is affordable to a range of income groups; and inclusion of environmental sustainability measures.

As described in Land Use Element Policy LU-5.5, the Moss Bay neighborhood is part of the Greater Downtown Urban Center as designated in the King County Countywide Planning Policies (see Land Use Element Figure LU-2 for Urban Center boundaries). The NE 85th Station Area subarea plan, the Moss Bay neighborhood, and an employment center that is shared by the Moss Bay and Everest neighborhoods constitute the areas the City is proposing for a Regional Center designation by Puget Sound Regional Council. These center designations are a way to recognize the history of great urban planning in the Moss Bay neighborhood that has created a compact, walkable, transit-supportive community that has embraced growth in housing and employment. These smart growth principles continue to guide the long-term vision for the neighborhood and the King County and PSRC designations will continue to help the City address the infrastructure needs that accompany that growth.

The Greater Downtown Urban Center, which is centered on Moss Bay but encompasses portions of other neighborhoods, has an existing zoned development capacity of 30.6 activity units per acre (encompassing the residential and employee population) and by 2035 has a planned density of 45.5 activity units per acre. The minimum activity units per acre required for an Urban Regional Growth Center is 45, and when including planned development capacity in the proposed NE 85th Street Station Area Plan will be much higher.

To ensure complementary land uses in a Regional Growth Center, PSRC requires that employment activity credits comprise at least 15% of the total activity credits and residential activity credits comprise at least 15% of the total activity credits. In 2035, approximately 36 percent of the activity units in the Greater Downtown Urban Center would be residential, and 64 percent would be commercial. These projected mixes ensure a job-rich environment with plenty of activity after most employees leave for the day.

The shared Moss Bay and Everest Neighborhood employment center is a subarea that contains a large corporate technology campus that spans both neighborhoods and is organized around the CKC as a transportation and open space spine. This employment center is proposed for inclusion in the Regional Center as a way to recognize the significance of the employment and transportation needs of this subarea (see map below).

Policy MB-8:

Promote seamless transportation connections between the campuses of major employers for enhanced mobility between campuses, to the Downtown area and to the 85th Street BRT/Stride Station.

For purposes of the pending Regional Center designation by Puget Sound Regional Council, the large corporate technology campus that spans both the Moss Bay and Everest neighborhoods is proposed for inclusion in the Regional Center as a way to recognize the significance of the employment and transportation needs of the campus. This designation also acknowledges the important transportation relationship of this campus located on the CKC to the Kirkland Urban campus of this major employer.

Policy MB-9:

Implement inclusionary zoning and other affordable housing requirements in Downtown to promote inclusion and equity.

At the end of 2021, the Moss Bay Neighborhood had 129 affordable housing units that are a mix of rentals and owned units with varying levels of affordability, ranging from 50 to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Inclusionary zoning for affordable housing is not currently required as properties redevelop in much of the Downtown area, largely due to reticence over providing building height incentives necessary to offset the cost of the mandate to developers.

The addition of an inclusionary housing requirement with a companion increase in development capacity would help the City achieve the goals identified in the Housing Element. It is important to utilize the policies and actions contained in the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan for guidance before redevelopment occurs to ensure that displacement of people and businesses is minimized, and that affordable homes are retained and many more are created through the adoption of inclusionary zoning. The City is a member of A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH), and adopted a Housing Strategy Plan in 2018, which addresses existing and future housing needs in the city including the Moss Bay Neighborhood. In addition, the City is committed to increasing affordable housing through numerous policy measures, including direct purchase of affordable units. Ground-floor retail requirements in Downtown also foster the creation of smaller retail spaces over time, providing new opportunities for small businesses in Moss Bay.

Mixed land use, nearby goods and services and the Downtown transit center provide an optimal environment for affordable housing because there is less reliance on personal automobiles. Reducing or eliminating the cost of vehicle ownership and parking can enable residents to use that income for other higher priority expenses. Innovative public/private partnerships should to be utilized while exploring methods to yield the greatest number of affordable units to the community.

In addition to supporting equity in housing affordability, the City begins its efforts for planning, public outreach and participation for City updates to neighborhood plans with an Equity and Inclusion Analysis (EIA) to connect with community members who have traditionally been underrepresented in the planning process. One result of this analysis led the City to conduct a survey of Moss Bay residents who are also renters, and the plan’s vision statement reflects that the entire community that participated in the plan’s creation values equity, inclusivity and diversity. The EIA is an iterative document and will further impact and narrow the equity gaps still existing in the community. It will also help staff apply lessons about equity to future updates to this plan.

Policy MB-10:

Expand green building incentives and requirements to ensure that new projects are high performance buildings.

Additional codes or incentives that make buildings more energy and resource efficient can be considered for Citywide adoption as part of implementing the Sustainability Master Plan. Larger buildings in the Downtown area consume more energy, but if they are designed to use less energy then it will reduce operating costs for those who live and run businesses in these buildings and will help the City reduce its carbon emissions as it continues to grow.

Policy MB-11:

Explore the creation of an energy district that might include concepts like the capture and use of water and effluent to produce renewable energy and/or the use of geothermal methods to provide heating/cooling of local buildings.

The Downtown area provides an opportunity to consider the sharing of energy to be more efficient and cost-effective. These methods can increase the creation of renewable energy generation that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the City.

Policy MB-12:

Ensure that Downtown has a critical mass of retail uses and services and regularly review and recruit businesses that enhance the vibrancy of the business district.

The City should help to foster economic vitality in the Downtown by working with the private sector and by encouraging independent efforts toward economic development. Such assistance to the business community might include supporting efforts to establish local improvement or business improvement districts and working with regional economic development partners on collaborative efforts.

Other public efforts to strengthen the Downtown business climate should include the continued promotion of public projects such as the tour boat dock, in addition to continued support for public and/or private projects such as Lakeshore Plaza at Marina Park, which would help to implement the City’s economic development goals.

Policy MB-13:

Explore opportunities to support formal and informal cultural institutions and artists in Downtown, such as pop-up galleries, street music and festivals.

Supporting arts and culture is an important part of Kirkland’s identity. It is critical to encourage up and coming artists as well as established artists to continue to grow this movement. Consideration should be given to continue using public space for artists and allowing flexible land use which permits installations that further enhance the vibrancy of the Downtown area.

Policy MB-14:

Promote partnerships and increase two-way communication efforts between the business community and City government.

Initiatives like the Shop Local Kirkland initiative represent important efforts that bring businesses and City government closer together on a common purpose. Opportunities to enhance communication also include ensuring that business and property owners are made aware of pertinent issues in a timely manner.

Policy MB-15:

Encourage ground-floor uses that promote an active pedestrian environment.

Downtown Kirkland has been the historic heart of Kirkland’s pedestrian orientation because it has traditionally provided great destinations for pedestrians in terms of shops, services, and amenities as well as the supporting pedestrian infrastructure to make the walk pleasant and safe. Future evaluation of appropriate ground floor uses will need to consider the types of pedestrian destinations being created and will require collaboration with the business community, commercial property owners, and other stakeholders to understand the right balance of uses.

Policy MB-16:

Explore redevelopment of the Lake/Central surface parking lot with public and private amenities that enhance the 10-minute neighborhood concept. The exploration should include inclusive community engagement and participation from businesses, property owners, residents and the broader community.

This surface parking lot, situated at a prime corner in the Downtown core, was acquired by the City when the neighboring property owners participated in a Local Improvement District (LID) to generate the funds for the City to acquire the property for the purpose of providing public parking for patrons and visitors to the Downtown. A more current look at the community needs and vision, inclusive of the stakeholders noted here, would help determine if this is the time to reimagine the site as a focal point for the Downtown.

Parking

Policy MB-17:

Encourage efficient utilization of existing parking to its full potential and development of new shared parking around the perimeter of Downtown to increase parking supply while preserving and enhancing the walkable nature of Downtown.

Due to the significant cost and sustainability issues associated with building a new public parking garage, making better use of existing parking should be a priority. There is a significant supply of public and private parking in and around Downtown that could be used more efficiently through wayfinding signage, joint use agreements, technology applications, public education campaigns, and innovative and visible shuttle services.

Policy MB-18:

Increase the prevalence of charging stations and other support facilities for electric vehicles (EV), electric bicycles (E-Bikes) and other micro-mobility by partnering with owners of new and existing parking facilities to promote clean transportation options.

Promoting clean transportation options and related programs and initiatives can reduce pollution and, in the case of bicycles, scooters and emerging clean mobility options, can reduce congestion and foster a healthier community. Ensuring that buildings and parking facilities support these needs will facilitate the transition to a cleaner transportation future.

B. Perimeter Areas

The Perimeter Area is the area to the south and east of Downtown’s Central Business District. This area contains a wide variety of housing types, representing a broad range of densities. The Comprehensive Plan supports providing a range of housing opportunities, and the Moss Bay Neighborhood is representative of how that diversity can build a stronger community (see Figure MB-4). Included in the mix of land uses is a variety of commercial areas that provide employment opportunities close to shops, services, and housing options. The following sections discuss these diverse land use districts.

Planned Area 5

The northeastern portion of the Moss Bay Neighborhood is designated as Planned Area 5 (see Figure MB-4). Due to topographic conditions and circulation patterns, land in Planned Area 5 is relatively secluded. The area has been designated for high-density residential and office uses because of the ability to buffer such high-density development from other uses in the area. The area is developed primarily in high-density residential development while limited office uses exist in the northwestern portion of the area. This planned area is divided into five subareas. The Zoning Code details the applicable development standards such as allowed uses, height and density for each planned area and related subarea.

Planned Area 6

The bulk of the land south of Kirkland Avenue is contained in Planned Area 6 (see Figure MB-4). Within this planned area, land is divided into a number of subareas, based on unique conditions including use conflicts, various parcel ownerships, traffic problems, lack of utilities, and other factors which may influence future development of the land. Due to its location, this planned area also has a special relationship with the Downtown. This planned area is divided into ten subareas. The area has multiple designations including low, medium and high-density residential, office/multi-family and industrial along the eastern boundary line. The Zoning Code details the applicable development standards such as allowed uses, height and density for each planned area and related subarea.

Policy MB-19:

Explore density minimums in low-density residential neighborhoods within Moss Bay to promote more affordable and compact housing options.

Allowed housing options like ADUs, cottages, and two/three-unit homes can help bridge the gap in missing middle housing needs in the perimeter residential areas and increase diversity in the community. Due to the scarcity and cost of land in the Moss Bay neighborhood, optimizing the use of the land should be a consideration to take advantage of all the amenities that are available.

Policy MB-20:

Explore expanding allowances for home-based businesses in residential districts.

Home occupations can reduce commuting for the business owner and provide residents with nearby services. An appropriate range of uses and supporting regulations can result in home-based businesses that are a positive contribution to the vibrancy of the overall neighborhood. To support Economic Development Policy ED-1.7 in the Comprehensive plan, revising development standards should be carefully considered and crafted to minimize impacts on the neighborhood while increasing economic activity.