Meeting Notes 11/08/2022
South Rose Hill-Bridle Trails Neighborhood Association General Meeting November 8, 2022 Minutes
President Chris Kagen called the zoom meeting to order at 7:01 pm. 17 attendees logged on.
There were no announcements.
Recognizing N.E. 70th Cleanup Volunteer Crew: Chris Kagen
President Kagen recognized Sue and Sans Contreras and their band of volunteers for weeding and clearing trash along N.E. 70th Street between the Houghton Park Ride lot and 132nd N.E. This is an ongoing effort in coordination with the City. Additional volunteers are welcomed. Anyone wishing to participate can adopt a section of the right of way by contacting President Kagen at chris.kagen@gmail.com.
President Kagen also acknowledged Sharon and Martin Morgan for their ongoing beautification volunteer work at the South Rose Hill-Bridle Trails Neighborhood sign at the north entrance to the Houghton Park and Ride lot. Sharon plants and maintains the flower bed at that location. Martin has been mowing the small lawn area in front of the sign and is looking for a volunteer to take over that work from him. Anyone interested in taking over from Martin can contact President Kagen at chris.kagen@gmail.com.
N.E. 85th Street Station Area Plan: Phase 2 Allison Zike, Deputy Planning Director, City of Kirkland
Ms. Zike opened her remarks by congratulating our neighborhood on the recent Landmark designation of the Barth house at 7304 122nd N.E. in South Rose Hill. Constructed in 1912 and subjected to few changes over 110 years, the house typifies the farmsteads that were advertised to Seattleites marketing South Rose Hill as prime agricultural land, specifically for cultivating cauliflower. This property was nominated by the owner. City staff worked with King County’s Office of Historic Preservation to support the nomination.
The Planning Commission is focusing now on developing “form-based code” (zoning that focuses on the appearance of buildings at the point where they meet the street).
The City’s intent in the Plan is to accommodate transit-oriented future growth compatible with high- Rapid Transit coming to Kirkland. The Plan encourages affordable housing, parks, commercial and retail, technology and business employment centers appropriate for growth in jobs and housing.
Phase 2 builds on the most important benefits identified by the community:
Mobility
Parks
Schools
Sustainability
Affordable housing
The most dense development will occur closest to I-405, scale transitioning to lower density in existing residential neighborhoods.
Currently the Planning Commission is working on the final draft of development standards to create a human-scaled pedestrian experience and has identified three zones:
Neighborhood mixed use area
Urban flex district
Lake Washington High School site
Neighborhood Mixed Use Zone specifies standards to create a human-scale pedestrian experience, including building setbacks, maximum lot coverage by structures and hardscape, facade design and width, upper story setbacks, and the separation of towers from one another.
Smaller floor areas for upper stories are specified. The potential exists for developers to build to the maximum allowed height if community benefit(s) accrue.
The Urban Flex District lies primarily west of I-405, where light industrial use currently predominates. This district specifies a smaller floor for upper stories, which may accommodate residences. Again, there is a bonus height potential for providing community benefit(s) such as affordable housing on upper floors.
The Civic Mixed-Use District is the Lake Washington High School site and specifies a limited maximum height to conform with the current built environment and a large floor area. Benefits could be, for example, incorporating affordable housing for school staff or an employee daycare facility.
Ms. Zike then discussed building transitions, which topic is of interest and concern to our neighborhood. She emphasized that transitions apply to all districts.In some areas with significant height differential between allowed heights exists, transition standards are triggered.
In a follow-up email to the SRHBT Secretary on November 14, Ms. Zike provided this image which Planners utilized at the 11/10 Planning Commission to assist in visualizing the transitions concept:
Next Steps:
More information: www.kirklandwa.gov/stationareaplan
11/10 Phase 2 Planning Commission Study Session open to the public
11/15 City Council meeting
12/8 Planning Commission meeting open to the public
1/23 City Council Meeting-adoption of Phase 2
Questions from the audience:
Carter Bagg requested clarification: has the average elevation problem been resolved? Staff is proposing a change for determining the base elevation of the adjacent residential property from Average Building Elevation (ABE), a technical term which may require an onsite survey to Average Elevation, taking the elevation of the common property line and the elevation of the other side of the lot (usually the residential street) and dividing it by 2. Adding the maximum residential building height to this average sets the starting height on the commercial property after 15’ setback.
Answer: The final transition strategy has not been settled. Transition uses a common elevation point along a common property line between the 85th Street property and the adjacent residential property. The Planning Commission will review options at the 11/10 meeting.
Subsequent note from Carter: At the 11/10 meeting, staff revised the position on transition to adjacent residential properties that is more amenable, which the Planning Commission will consider at its 12/8 meeting.
Allison Zike: “Bonus” height cannot exceed the maximum allowed under zoning.
Jim Hoff stated his concern that the neighborhood residential area is butting up to the maximum building height with no other transition than the 15’ setback and angle, and that it makes good sense to have transitional zone heights in the residential areas that would decrease to the south. This would create good locations for denser and affordable housing and put a stop to the so-called “cottage” developments of three to four houses typified on a construction site on South Rose Hill.
Deirdre Johnson stated that the 150’ height block is wrong. Lower it. Everything else is a maximum of 85’ height. Preserve the residential character of the neighborhood (120th-122nd N.E. There is no north to south transition
Answer: The conversation is not over. Expect more discussion of this at the 11/10 meeting.
Paula Goelzer asked several questions.
Is it correct that one site is zoned maximum 250’?
Answer: yes, that is the google site.
What level of affordable housing is required?
Answer: 10% is required. Affordable rental housing is defined as costing no more than 50% of average median income. For owned units, affordable is defined as costing between 80% and 100% of median income.
Lake Washington High School is currently over capacity. What is the projected population of the high school?
Answer: We are looking at how more school capacity can be accommodated at the existing LWHS site, coordinated with the school district.
I see no provision for parking in this plan. And bus service east of I-405 to the Bus Rapid Transit station is practically nonexistent. Our neighborhood streets will be overwhelmed with drivers looking for a place to park so they can take the BRT.
Answer: The absence of a Park and Ride lot is intentional. The idea is that BRT would serve Kirkland residents, not people who would drive into Kirkland to use BRT. One new transit line is coming–the “K” line which will run along 124th N.E.
Ms. Zike offered, in the interests of keeping to her allotted time on the agenda, to talk further with Paula or to follow up by emailing her at azike@kirklandwa.gov.
5. Sandra Eisert expressed the same concern as Paula. There are not enough bus stops in our neighborhood. Sandra also observed that allowed building heights increase with topographic elevation, west to east. Is this in order to accommodate google?
Answer: The heights were set not knowing who was going in there, not to accommodate google.
NERTS (Northeast Regional Transfer Station Report: Paula Goelzer
Paula represents our neighborhood on the NERTS Site Advisory Group (SAG). The Environmental Impact Statement and Scoping Process are underway as the County moves forward in selecting a site to replace the existing Houghton Transfer Station. This process will identify impacts to the natural environment, existing buildings, and traffic on the neighborhood of whichever site is selected. Three sites are under consideration: the current HTS site, the Houghton Park and Ride lot site, and a site in Woodinville.
Send your comments to Paula at paulajgoelzer@gmail.com
Link to documents:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tJ8_Hxiol8oibLNqYOiJUQFmEbyXRh-BfkUA8BsfGlQ/edit?usp=sharing
There is a 75-day comment period, following which a draft will address the comments submitted. A second comment period will occur in 2023.
Questions from the audience:
In your opinion, which way is the wind blowing on site selection?
Answer: In Paula’s personal opinion, the current HTS site is the leading candidate.
Sandra Eisert commented that siting a dump at the Park and Ride lot would not be an asset to the neighborhood as it would project a poor image–it is right at the entrance to our neighborhood.
Neighborhood Party August 2023
The Board seeks volunteers to help with planning, which will begin in earnest in January 2023.
If you are interested in joining the planning committee, please contact Chris Kagen at chris.kagen@gmail.com.
Tech City Bowl Update: Chris Kagen
Our neighborhood bowling alley has reopened for business! Rumor has it that site redevelopment is on hold due to delays in the permitting process and that the business will continue operations for approximately eight months.
Note: Carter Bagg checked kirklandwa.gov on November 9 and reports that in July the Design Review Board reviewed preliminary building massing for the project (now called Modera Bridle Trails). Design Review will take 4-6 months and then the architects prepare the plans and submit them for a permit.
Neighborhood Safety Project: Jim Hoff
In this funding cycle, each neighborhood is allowed to submit up to four project suggestions for a total cost not to exceed $100K.
Project suggestions for our neighborhood to date are:
Install flashing stop signs at the N.E. 60th-116th N.E. intersection.
At approximately N.E.80th and 126th N.E. a utility pole, guy wire and shrubbery obstruct the pedestrian walkway. Correct this issue.
Add crossing treatment at N.E. 70th and 132nd N.E.
The 122nd N.E. and 124th N.E. intersections on the Greenway are not four-way stops. Drivers continue to run the stop signs. Correct this.
Discussion: Paula Goeltzer, Chris Kagen, and Sandra Eisert cited their experience at the 116th and 60th intersection: drivers blowing past the stop signs, no bike path on the Kirkland segment of 116th. Chris pointed out that a change in state law effective October allows bicyclists to treat most stop signs as “yield” signs.
Send project suggestions to Jim Hoff at jnlhoff@gmail.com.
The meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Betsy Lewis, Secretary