Opposition to Parkplace Development
UPDATE: At the December 16, 2008 Kirkland City Council meeting, The City Council followed the recommendation of the Planning Commission and approved Touchstone’s Private Amendment Request for an eight story mixed-use redevelopment of Kirkland Parkplace. You may read more about it here.
An opposition group calling itself, Kirkland Citizens for Responsible Development (KCRD) www.kirklandcrd.org opposes the Kirkland Parkplace development. The site was developed for Mr. Ken Davidson, and his KCRD group as a way to communicate their views to the public. Mr. Davidson is a long-time member of the business community and owns the adjacent Emerald Building map.
Kirkland Citizens for Responsible Development is an organization of individuals opposed to the planned Kirkland Parkplace Private Amendment Request (PAR) before the Planning Commission.
The KCRD website makes many claims against the Kirkland Parkplace development plans. They even went as far as to render of an alternative development for the Kirkland Parkplace site.
The site claims they are working to “preserve Kirkland”. Claims made against the Parkplace development include:
- it does not adhere to City zoning – building heights are too high
- traffic will be gridlocked
- parking will be impossible
- there will be significant cost to the City
- the character of Kirkland will be forever changed
KCRD further offers their idea of what should be built at Kirkland Parkplace.
KCRD claims their “better way” would have lower buildings and “create nearly 800,000 square feet of retail and office space. The same amount that can be found in Bellevue’s Lincoln Square.”
