6. Shoreline Design

Goal SA-26: Maintain and enhance Kirkland’s orientation to and linkages with Lake Washington.

Policy SA-26.1: Preserve public view corridors along the City’s street networks and public parks.

The street and waterfront park system provides a large number of local and regional views. The view corridors that lie within the public domain are valuable for the beauty, sense of orientation, and identity that they provide to Kirkland. The views also maintain the visual connection and perception of public accessibility to the lake. As a result, these views should be kept free of obstruction.

Policy SA-26.2: Locate and design new development to provide view corridors of Lake Washington from Lake Washington Boulevard and Lake Street South south of the Central Business District.

Kirkland’s history, identity and character are strongly associated with its proximity and orientation to Lake Washington. Lake Washington Boulevard and Lake Street are the streets from which most residents and visitors view the lake, providing a lasting visual impression and helping to establish the visual identity of the City. As a result, visual access to Lake Washington from Lake Washington Boulevard and Lake Street should be an integral element in the design of development along the west side of these streets. Both public and private development in these areas should be designed to include an open area that provides an unobstructed view of the water beyond. View corridors should be situated on the property to provide the widest view of the lake. Existing structures in some areas block views of the lake. With renovation of existing structures, opening up of views should be encouraged.

The Central Business District (CBD) is a community activity area focused around its historic waterfront with extensive public use and views of the waterfront provided by public parks, street ends, public and private marinas, public access piers and shoreline public access trails. Because of this configuration and the desire to provide continuous pedestrian-oriented retail activity at the street, view corridors across private properties in the CBD should not be required.

Policy SA-26.3: Explore opportunities to provide visual and pedestrian access from Central Way and Lake Street with redevelopment efforts.

The City should explore opportunities to participate in a public/private partnership to redevelop the commercial block between Kirkland Avenue and Central Way with visual and pedestrian access from a series of at-grade pedestrian connections from Central Way and Lake Street which would open to a large public plaza constructed west of the buildings to enhance the Downtown’s lake front setting.

Policy SA-26.4: Design water-enjoyment uses to provide significant opportunities for public enjoyment of the aesthetic, natural and recreational amenities of the shoreline.

Water-enjoyment uses, such as restaurants, hotels or other mixed-use commercial projects, bring substantial numbers of people to the shoreline and provide opportunities for the public to enjoy shoreline amenities. These uses are encouraged in urban mixed areas, such as Kirkland’s Downtown area, and should be designed to respond to their shoreline location through a variety of measures, including the following:

♦ Architectural or site design elements that connect visually or physically to the lake.

♦ Orientation of views and windows to the lake.

♦ Orientation of entries, sight lines, buildings, pathways and other design elements to the shoreline.

♦ Incorporating interpretative signs.

♦ Locating service areas away from the shoreline.

♦ Incorporating substantial landscaping and open space.

♦ Providing outdoor seating or gathering places along the shoreline.

♦ Designing signs to be compatible with the aesthetic quality of the shoreline.

Enhancement of views should not take precedence over vegetation conservation and, as such, removal of vegetation necessary for shoreline function should not be allowed in cases where views are partially impaired by existing vegetation. New landscaping should be appropriately designed to preserve designated view corridors.