Kingsgate was built out mostly in the 1960s and 70s as unincorporated King County, then joined Kirkland on June 1, 2011. The firs and cedars left standing between those split-levels and ramblers are now around 60 years older. Many are past the 26-inch Landmark size, and the lots are small. That combination makes the yearly allowance the thing to plan around.
Allowance math on a typical Kingsgate lot
Most lots here are 10,000 sq ft or less, which means:
| Rule | On a lot ≤ 10,000 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Removals per 12 months (free notification) | 2 regulated trees |
| Trees that must remain afterwards | at least 2 regulated trees |
| Landmark (26”+) | 1 per 12 months, by permit, with 3 replacements |
Example: four Douglas firs, one of them 28”. Year 1: remove the Landmark (permit, 3 replacements) and one smaller fir (notification). That leaves two, the minimum. Taking down the third healthy fir would mean going under the minimum, so it can only come out as a hazard or nuisance tree with a permit.
Check your plat for easements
Kingsgate plats were approved by King County, and some include Native Growth Protection Easements, open-space tracts or tree covenants along ravines and lot edges. Trees in those areas can’t use the free notification, and pruning needs permission. Your plat map and title report list them; Kirkland’s GIS browser may show them too.
Common Kingsgate jobs
- Big firs between houses: limited drop zones, so sectional rigging, sometimes a crane from the street
- Roof and gutter clearance: needles and cones on 1970s low-pitch roofs
- Root damage from driveways and old sewer lines: possible nuisance-tree cases
- Replacing a removed fir with something that fits the lot (see the rebate)
Near the freeway and Totem Lake
Lots near I-405 and the Totem Lake edge often have trees exposed to more wind after nearby redevelopment. If a neighbour’s lot was cleared, have the trees on your side of the line looked at before winter.
Two big firs and a small lot? Let's work out the order with your allowance.
(425) 000-0000Common questions
How many trees can I remove on a Kingsgate lot?
Most Kingsgate lots are 10,000 sq ft or less, which allows 2 regulated tree removals per 12 months with the free notification, as long as at least 2 regulated trees remain on the lot afterwards and no special condition applies.
What if my plat has a Native Growth Protection Easement?
Trees in a recorded NGPE or protected tract can't go through the free notification, and pruning there needs city permission. Your plat map or title report shows any easements.
Are the big firs in Kingsgate Landmark trees?
Many are. A fir planted or left when the neighbourhood was built in the 1960s and 70s can easily be 26 inches across by now. Measure at 4.5 feet: a circumference of about 82 inches or more makes it a Landmark.