'Hold Off on Finn Hill Rezoning': Kirkland City Staff

Kirkland Planning Director Eric Shields told Patch he was met with applause by the 100-plus attendees of a recent Finn Hill Neighborhood Association (FNHA) meeting when he told them staff plans to recommend that the Chaffey zone amendment request be tabled until a neighborhood plan can be developed for the area.

The Kirkland Planning Commission will review several zoning requests from developers at its meeting Thursday, March 14, including the Chaffey Private Amendment Request (PAR).

The Chaffey Building Group is requesting a rezone for a property on Simonds Road NE in the Finn Hill Neighborhood from a low density to a medium density residential land use zone to allow for a future multifamily development.

Members of the neighborhood group sent a letter to Patch and have been vocal about their opposition to approving the plan at this time.

The Planning Commission will review staff reports and send its recommendations to the City Council, which will consider the requests at its April 2 meeting. Ultimately, whether to approve the request is up to the Council, Shields said.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be held at Kirkland City Hall, Council Chamber, 123 5th Avenue.