Kenmore Planning Commission was scheduled to weigh allowing retail in residential zones
Staff recommended letting neighborhood shops, cafes, and markets open throughout Kenmore residential zones with a 2,500-square-foot cap, ahead of the June 2 meeting. 1
What the records say
In materials published ahead of the June 2, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, Kenmore staff recommended allowing neighborhood retail and services throughout residential areas in the city's R-4 through R-24 zones, as well as in Community Business and Neighborhood Business zones. 1 The proposal would permit eating and drinking places, specialty shops, and neighborhood markets, with individual establishments capped at 2,500 square feet and limited to one building. 1
- Staff recommended allowing eating and drinking places, specialty shops, and neighborhood markets throughout R-4—R-24 residential zones, plus Community Business and Neighborhood Business zones. 1
- Individual establishments would be capped at 2,500 square feet and limited to one building. 1
- No minimum parking would be required for neighborhood retail in R-1—R-24 zones. 1
- Proposed operating hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with wall signs up to 25 square feet or A-frame signs up to 6 square feet. 1
- The recommendation drew on 190 survey responses and two open houses in May 2026; top requested businesses were eating and drinking (76%), specialty shops (66%), and neighborhood markets (61%). 1
- A public hearing was tentatively scheduled for September 2026, with Planning Commission recommendations to City Council expected in early October. 1
Why it matters
The proposed change would let small businesses like coffee shops, corner stores, and fitness studios open in Kenmore neighborhoods without a conditional-use permit, which the current code requires for these uses in residential zones. 1 For residents, that could mean walkable shops closer to home, but the record also notes concerns about parking, traffic, noise, and which uses—such as vape shops or bars—should be kept out of residential areas. 1
What changed / what's next
- Staff proposed changing eating and drinking, retail sales, personal service, indoor recreational, and indoor arts and entertainment uses from conditionally permitted to permitted in R-4—R-24 zones. 1
- Size limits for these uses in R-4—R-24 would drop from up to 5,000 square feet to 2,500 square feet. 1
- No minimum parking would be required for neighborhood retail in R-1—R-24 zones. 1
- Staff planned to present draft code over summer 2026, with a public hearing tentatively scheduled for September 2026 and Planning Commission recommendations to City Council in early October. 1
- The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.