As they move forward with shoreline planning, Kenmore officials try to meet business needs without blocking residential views of Lake Washington

In Kenmore, the issue has — once more — become one of height.

Mayor David Baker said his city has been working to revamp its shoreline master plan for more than two years. The rewrite is required by state law and calls for an updating of every local environmental regulation and developmental guideline relating to shorelines in the city.

On July 26, City Council held another study session regarding the plan, with more revisions, more talks and at least one more public hearing planned for the near future.

While the plan must cover every waterfront in the city, from river and creek banks to Lake Washington, the last shoreline has received by far the most attention. Baker said officials need to move carefully so as not to hurt existing or potential businesses on or near the lakefront.

For example, Baker and others said Kenmore Air, which sits directly on the waterfront along Northeast Bothell Way, has plans for a new hangar to house the sea planes it launches and lands on the lake every day. That hangar would reach 50 feet in height.

After months of discussion, Kenmore’s planning commission recommended to council that it impose a strict height limit of 35 feet for all buildings within 200 feet of any shoreline.

According to a long memo prepared in part by Kenmore Community Development Director Debbie Bent, the planning commission settled on the 35-foot height restriction to ensure an open feel along waterfronts, especially from the point of view of pedestrians.

The commission also had in mind certain environmental concerns and to protect views that may exist from surrounding properties.

As it happens, the 35-foot limit is also what the state requires along shorelines in many cases. State law mandates no waterfront buildings or structures can rise above 35 feet if such structures would block the view of a “substantial” number of residences. Local communities can allow higher buildings only if “overriding considerations of the public interest will be served.”

Like all other shoreline plans, the Kenmore scheme is subject to review of the state Department of Ecology. State officials have advised local leaders that if they plan to allow shoreline buildings over 35 feet in height, local regulations must require studies, presumably as each development comes up for approval, to determine if a substantial number of residential sightlines to the water might be blocked.

Baker said he feels the city needs do to whatever it can to accommodate private concerns such as Kenmore Air.

“Kenmore Air is a valuable asset to the community,” Baker said. “At least that’s what I feel and I think the rest of the council feels the same way.”

Besides Kenmore Air, there may be other future structures higher than 35 feet to come, including a boat dock near Kenmore Air and a nearby commercial operation.

Though he declined to give details, Baker said Plywood Supply Inc., has plans for the possible redevelopment of its lakefront property, plans that would require buildings above 35 feet.

Although it has been long delayed and there are no indications the plan will be moving forward anytime soon, the shoreline plan could also impact the so-called LakePointe development.

First winning approval from King County planners in 1998, LakePointe is — in theory — an ambitious 45-acre mixed-use development just east of Kenmore Air that could include everything from 1,200 residential units to 350,000 square feet of office space.

For his part, Baker recommends shoreline basic height limits of 50 feet. Staffers and council members have also discussed allowing step increases in height depending on how far businesses are set back from shorelines.

This isn’t the first time building-height restrictions have become an issue in Kenmore. The same question arose in December 2008 following a zoning change to certain areas of central Kenmore, a zoning change allowing more commercial development.

At the time, some property owners were pushing for 60-foot building heights, while the city ultimately adopted limits of 35 feet.

As now, the main point of contention was a concern over blocking views of Lake Washington. In the past, officials also talked about wanting more public access to the lake.

“One of the problems we have here is, we are Kenmore on the Lake, but how do you get to the lake?” Baker said.