A recent Sunday Seattle Times article called “Summer Shopping Safaris” highlights some of the great places to visit around Seattle during the summer, including Kirkland.

As one reads the information about Kirkland in the article, one can see that what is attractive about Kirkland is exactly the opposite of what the Comprehensive Plan seems to have as a vision for the area described. As we update our Comprehensive plan, we need to keep this in mind.

What we now call the “Central Business District” and have made part of the Moss Bay neighborhood deserves serious reconsideration. Our waterfront is our greatest asset. We need to capitalize on it.

Our true “Central Business District” should be at Totem Lake, an area with good freeway access and a variety of zoning opportunities. Our waterfront commercial area needs to be protected, almost as much as we value our parks.

As we look at the Comprehensive Plan in the next year or so, I believe we should eliminate the term “Central Business District” from our lexicon (as it applies currently). I believe we should include the word “waterfront” in any future description of what we now call the Central Business District.

Examples would be “Waterfront Commercial District,” “Central Waterfront District,” or “Waterfront Business District.” Other options abound. We can then use the term “Central Business District” or “New Central Business District” to apply to the area around Totem Lake, which will soon include our new Public Safety Building, and perhaps in the future, a new City Hall.

Doing so would assure that 10-20 years from now the Seattle Times will still be able to extol the beauty and benefits of coming to Kirkland to enjoy our “eateries,” “marina,” “parkland,” “galleries,” “coffee shops,” “pedestrian- and dog-friendly scenery,” “outdoor sculptures,” “views,” the “Grape Choice,” etc.

We cannot afford to risk our future by encouraging excessive high-rise development in this unique waterfront asset.

Chuck Pilcher, Kirkland