Kirkland, WA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

137 is the zoning standard governing where solar collectors can be sited on residential property in Kirkland. It opens with a flat restriction: only ground and/or roof mounted solar collectors are allowed in residential zones, ruling out other mounting configurations such as freestanding pole-mounted arrays. 60(2), and the code treats a collector as roof-mounted if it extends across the roof of a structure, whether or not it is physically attached to the roof surface. Ground-mounted collectors face two specific standards: location and height. On location, a ground-mounted solar collector must be placed behind a plane extending across the width of the property at the front facade of the dwelling unit or other structure located closest to the front property line, meaning it cannot sit forward of the house's front wall line.

On height, the maximum permitted height is six feet above finished grade. 137 sits within Chapter 115, the general development standards chapter, a ground- or roof-mounted solar installation must also comply with the underlying building permit process administered by Kirkland's Planning and Building Department for any structural, electrical, or mechanical work, in addition to meeting these zoning placement and height limits. The section does not create a separate solar-specific permit track; it establishes the siting envelope within which any permitted installation must fit.