Kirkland: Planning Work Program
The Planning Work Program (PWP) is a document prepared by the City of Kirkland that serves as a blueprint for the city's development over the next three years. It seeks to explore innovative solutions, including the potential for inclusionary zoning and the optimization of “middle housing”—a category that encompasses townhouses, duplexes, and other forms of multi-family dwellings.
This triennial review is not merely a bureaucratic exercise; it is a critical juncture for Kirkland. The PWP’s focus on activating the NE 85th Street Station Area is a clear indication of Kirkland’s embrace of transit-oriented development (TOD). This approach, favored by urbanists and policymakers alike, seeks to create vibrant, mixed-use communities clustered around public transport hubs, reducing reliance on private vehicles and fostering a more sustainable urban fabric. The success of TOD hinges on careful coordination between transportation infrastructure, housing development, and commercial activity, a complex undertaking that requires strategic vision and inter-agency cooperation.
Perhaps even more pressing than transit planning, is the issue of housing. Kirkland is one of the most desirable cities in the Seattle metropolitan area. With a successful commercial district and charming neighborhood designs, it is easy to see why the demand for housing in Kirkland is so high and why the city is facing an affordability crisis. The PWP acknowledges this challenge, placing a high priority on enabling housing production, particularly within existing urban centers like Juanita Beach and Totem Lake. The document hints at potential strategies, including the exploration of inclusionary zoning—a policy that mandates a certain percentage of affordable units in new developments—and the optimization of “middle housing.” This latter category, encompassing a range of housing types from townhouses to accessory dwelling units, is increasingly seen as a crucial component of addressing the “missing middle” in housing supply and promoting greater density in established neighborhoods. The PWP's consideration of these options suggests a willingness to explore innovative solutions, although the specific details, and the political will to implement them, remain to be seen.