KCC Title 21A grants density bonuses, height increases, and reduced parking when projects in unincorporated King County provide deed-restricted affordable housing or other public benefits.
KCC 21A.34 affordable housing incentives let developers build above the base density when they set aside units for households at or below specified area median income levels for at least 50 years. Bonuses scale with the depth of affordability and apply most strongly within urban growth boundaries near transit. Cities like Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland run their own Mandatory Housing Affordability or incentive zoning programs that layer on top of state law RCW 36.70A.540.
Failure to record covenants or maintain affordability triggers permit revocation, monetary recapture of the bonus value, and denial of future incentives across King County jurisdictions.
Kirkland, WA
Leaf blowers and power equipment are restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on weekends and holidays under KMC 11.84A. Kirkland has not adopted...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland sits about 20 miles north of Sea-Tac and is lightly affected by commercial flights. Kenmore Air seaplanes and Renton Municipal general aviation caus...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland does not impose a citywide overnight parking ban, but enforces the 72-hour rule, signed residential permit zones, and no-parking signs at parks, tra...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland driveways must remain paved, accessible, and used for vehicle parking per KMC Title 115 zoning code, which limits front-yard paving and requires app...
Kirkland, WA
EV charging in Kirkland follows the Washington State Energy Code, which requires EV-ready capacity in new multifamily and commercial parking and protects pub...
Kirkland, WA
Under KZC 115.40, Kirkland fences may be up to 6 feet except within 15 feet of a street curb. Properties on a neighborhood access or collector street are cap...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how Kirkland's density bonus law rules stack up against other locations.
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