Kenmore council adopts amended exceptional tree ordinance

What the records say

At its Oct. 28, 2024 regular meeting, the Kenmore City Council held a public hearing on Proposed Ordinance No. 24-0621, presented by Development Services Director Samantha Loyuk, and adopted the amended ordinance, which revises the Exceptional Tree Regulations in Section 18.57.063 of the Kenmore Municipal Code. ¹ According to the staff presentation in the packet, the ordinance amends the exceptional tree definition in two ways: it revises the Table 1 species-and-diameter thresholds to align with Lake Forest Park's definition, and it keeps the rule that any healthy tree 48 inches d.b.h. or greater is exceptional while excluding Alders, Black Cottonwood, English Holly, and Leyland Cypress. ¹ The ordinance also adds an exemption from exceptional tree protections for residential development in certain zones within a quarter-mile of high-capacity transit stops; exempted projects must pay a fee to the city's tree fund, currently $600 per tree unit. ¹ The packet includes High-Capacity Transit Corridor maps, including a version excluding R1, R4, R6, and P zones. ¹

• The council held a public hearing on Proposed Ordinance No. 24-0621 and adopted the amended ordinance at the Oct. 28, 2024 meeting; the item was presented by Development Services Director Samantha Loyuk. ¹
• The ordinance revises the exceptional tree definition: Table 1 species thresholds are aligned with Lake Forest Park's definition, trees 48 inches d.b.h. or greater remain exceptional, and Alders, Black Cottonwood, English Holly, and Leyland Cypress are excluded. ¹
• Residential development in certain zones within a quarter-mile of high-capacity transit is exempted from KMC 18.57.063, with exempted projects paying a tree-fund fee, currently $600 per tree unit; the staff presentation says the exemption covers 281 parcels, about 3% of city parcels. ¹
• The packet includes High-Capacity Transit Corridor maps, one excluding R1, R4, R6, and P zones. ¹

Why it matters

The change narrows where exceptional tree protections apply: residential projects in certain zones near high-capacity transit are now exempt from those protections, in exchange for a tree-fund fee. The staff presentation states the exemption covers 281 parcels, about 3% of parcels in the city, and frames the amendment as balancing tree preservation with residential development and state-mandated housing requirements. ¹

What changed / what's next

• Section 18.57.063 of the Kenmore Municipal Code (exceptional tree protections) is amended, including a revised exceptional tree definition and a new transit-proximity exemption for residential development. ¹
• The staff presentation notes community concerns raised about the exemption's effect on tree canopy, urban heat, and equity, and states an Urban Forestry Management Plan is estimated to be completed mid-2025 to assist future policy discussion. ¹
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.