Thursday, March 14, 2024
Founder of Xplore, Brands Redmond "Space District"
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Mayor Birney Honors Women's History Month
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Redmond Satellite Space COO To Present -- Redmond Historical Society's Speaker Series
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how Xplore—a key member of Redmond's "Space District”—is contributing to our local history!" J.O.
"DATA FROM SPACE"
Saturday, March 9th at 10:30 AM
In the Old Redmond Schoolhouse
16600 NE 80TH ST, Redmond, WA 98052
John Oftebro, President of the Redmond Historical Society says....
Founder and COO Lisa Rich will discuss her commercial space company Xplore, designed to collect infinite streams of proprietary data from the XCRAFT®, its next generation satellite. Her company’s ability to proliferate—and provide access to many types of Earth Observation data—will help solve many global challenges across the commercial sector, national security, environment, nonprofit sector, education, research, the media industry, and more.
- posted by Yoder, 3/8/24
Monday, January 29, 2024
UPDATED 1/29/24: Pearce PRD Deforestation Rivals the Devastation of Group Health's Tree Habitat
A Bobcat's "last stand" in Sigmund and Werner's backyard / credit Sigmund |
The photograph of this urban Bobcat was taken by Werner & Sigmund. Their home borders on a North Redmond 18-acre forest. Over 300 mature trees were cleared for 76 single-family homes with lot sizes ***4000 - 22,000 SF, according city documents. The project (178th Ct. NE & NE 116th St.) is known as "Pearce PRD" and is one of many environmentally sensitive projects in Redmond developed by Eric Campbell's Camwest Development, Inc. of Kirkland, WA.
According to a "Wildlife Study Report" filed by wetland , wildlife, and forest consultant Chad Armour, LLC on January 20, 2007 "the site may have the potential to support as many as 68 different species of wildlife". Sigmund has also observed coyotes and deer in her backyard and there have been neighborhood reports of *black bear. Where will they go?
Camwest paid an arborist for a tree preservation plan required by city permit. The arborist reported that 294 significant trees were clear-cut. That's 54% of the 489 significant trees on the project. 39 Landmark trees were presumed removed. Landmark trees are supposed to get special protections. (see Councilwoman Kim Allen's statement, below).
Chad Armour made two brief site visits. Among Mr. Armour's qualifications, he is a "certified wetland delineator" and has a certificate in commercial real estate. He was hired by Camwest to write environmental reports for the city land use permit.
Mr. Armour reported: nine wetlands and 20 State Priority habitat tree snags, ideal for Pileated Woodpecker nesting. He identified a foraging P. Woodpecker, and a Great Blue Heron "in the vicinity". The Great Blue Heron is valued by the State and Redmond as a Priority Species of Local Importance. Nesting P. Woodpeckers are potentially endangered and have protections when nests are present. I was told by a resident Armour spent only several hours during each of his two visits to the site.
Mr. Armour stated a heron rookery is located about one mile SE of the site. City planner Cathy Beam indicated months ago these eastern rookery nests were vacated. Mr. Armour also noted a stream map indicating coho salmon migrate to within a few hundred feet of the project site. A tributary to Bear Creek and two ponds are present.
Obviously, significant and devastating deforestation of "urban open space" has occurred. Habitat destruction was far more extensive than Camwest's Tyler's Creek and Perrigo Heights developments. Fortunately, Camwest does a good job restoring and enhancing their streams, wetlands, and forest buffers. However, according to the neighbors, the development will be setback only 20 feet from their properties and exposed neighborhood trees will be endangered by resultant high winds.
Councilwoman Kim Allen is to be commended for speaking up for the neighborhood during Werner's Landmark Tree Exception appeal. Councilman Richard Cole appeared insensitive during reconsideration of the Landmark Tree appeal stating Werner was slowing down the project. Ms. Allen is a qualified lawyer and is a strong council advocate for "green" protections and standards. ** Ms. Allen's statement urging amendments to city tree preservation standards are below. The city is holding a Community Meeting on Thursday, 7/28 to ask for ideas on how to improve Residential Development permitting. Contact Jeff Churchill for more information by emailing: jchurchill@redmond.gov.
*** The City Neighborhood Map and Notice of Application quote different lot size ranges.
**'Councilmember Allen read a written request to the staff as follows, 'Tree retention is an expressed value of the citizens of Redmond articulated in the Comprehensive Plan, Neighborhood Plans, and community meetings. Redmond’s tree retention law reflects that a detailed and thoughtful analysis by the Administrator of what should be a detailed and written account of extraordinary circumstances is required to justify the felling of any landmark tree or drastically reducing our declining canopy. In this case there is no record of that detailed analysis by staff which does both the staff and the citizens a disservice. Our Code Administrators should begin to provide a written and detailed analysis of their reasoning on all of these exceptions to our Tree Retention Ordinance and that the code should be amended to provide notice to adjacent property owners when such a request is made.' - contributed by Werner
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QUESTIONS: Was off-site mitigation required? It not, how where were they replaced? PRD' appeals are Quasi-Judicial. Was there adequate notice? Tom Hinman, a respected planning commissioner, influenced the city years later to map significant and landmark trees on the Notice of Application. Why did it take so long? In 2022, Tree Regulations were updated to protect/preserve Redmond's remaining trees on private properties. It's 2024 and the updated tree regulations still haven't been implemented owing to legal issues Kirkland is facing. No comment.
Opinion and report by Bob Yoder, ~ 2007, updated 1/29/2024
Additional "land use" articles are found using the blog search engine.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Learn About Mt. St. Helens' Blast November 11th.
Laura Lee Bennett, VP Redmond Historical Society says...
Hey, you History Buffs! Join the Redmond Historical Society next Saturday, Nov. 11th, 10:30 AM, for a journey into the Mount St. Helens blast zone--40 years later. Writer and biologist Eric Wagner talks on the remarkable recovery of the Mount St, Helens ecosystem. Nature finds a way!
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Bird's Eye View -A Poem by Redmond's Poet Laureate
The Redmond Historical Society invites the community to an exciting conversation with Redmond Poet Laureate, Laura Da’, on the topic of “Currents of Time and Place: Poetry that Engages with History and Image in Cascadia.”
Saturday, 10:30 AM, October 14, 2023. Doors open 10:00 AM.
Location: Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St., Redmond, WA 98052.
Monday, October 2, 2023
Redmond Poet Laureate Laura Da' Events, October 6th / 14th
Redmond Poet Laureate Laura Da' |
Join Poet Laureate Laura Da’ at Idylwood Park on the shores of Lake Sammamish to celebrate the debut of her "Poetry Walk" inspired by the ecosystem within Redmond that supports the kokanee salmon.
- Friday, October 6th, 6:00 - 7:30PM
- Idylwood Park
This unique and important environment has carried life in the region since time immemorial and is at the heart of this year’s projects by Da’. The Redmond STEM Center and the Seattle Design Nerds will also be creating a one-night-only projection in the park inspired by the Poetry Walk prompts, poems by Da’, and the workshops hosted by the Poet Laureate at Old Firehouse Teen Center.
The projection is made possible by a grant from the Academy of American Poets for Laura’s recognition as one of the 2023 Poet Laureate Fellows.
-- Redmond Parks and Recreation
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Redmond Historical Society - Saturday Speaker Series
On October 14th, the Redmond Historical Society invites the community to an exciting conversation with Redmond Poet Laureate, Laura Da’, on the topic of “Currents of Time and Place: Poetry that Engages with History and Image in Cascadia.”
Date/Time: Saturday, 10:30 AM, October 14, 2023. Doors open 10:00 AM.
Topic: "Currents of Time and Place: Poetry that Engages with History and Image in Cascadia”
Speaker: Laura Da', Redmond Poet Laureate
Location: Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St., Redmond, WA 98052.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
UPDATED: Work Underway For Innovative "Anderson AMLI Project"
Location: AMLI: Redmond Way & Avondale Way. Adjacent McDonalds and Anderson Park; in the old Value Village mall.
The applicant proposes the construction of two adjacent buildings, referred to as the “West” building and the “East” building respectively. The project includes a "pouch porch" dog run with space for hop scotch, 4-square and living green walls. The applicant is proposing a woonerf on Avondale Way to safely connect the buildings.
Plantings and a green wall element were added along the ground level to enhance the pedestrian experience along the Redmond Central Connector. Two variations for the integration of planters and vertical green wall trellises are proposed to create visual interest along the concrete wall.
The west building is a mix of residential and retail uses and varies in height ranging from five to seven-stories. 11,070 sf of commercial retail uses located along Redmond Way. On levels two through seven, there are 249 residential units. 237 internal parking stalls are also provided at ground levels B1 and subterranean levels L1
The east building is six stories and is a multi-family apartment building. Residential amenity space is provided at the ground level. On levels two through six, there are 127 residential units. 205 internal parking stalls are also provided at ground levels B1 and subterranean levels L1.
A future elevated rail line is proposed south of the project as a part of the Sound Transit Downtown Redmond Link.
-- Design Review Board, April 2022
Three additional posts on this innovative AMLI project are HERE.
Prepared by Bob Yoder, 9/26/2023
Saturday, April 15, 2023
"The Redmond Recorder Newsletter," New and Improved.
Brought to you by the Redmond Historical Society
Friday, April 7, 2023
UPDATED: City Council Meeting Notes, 04 April 2023
CM Melissa Stuart Featured City Council group picture not available |
https://www.facebook.com/
(short pause at start of tape)
ADVANCE TO 3:00 for poet Laureate Laura Da's description of her poetry inspired "Nature & City History Walk" around our lakefronts.
ADVANCE TO 4:52 for Dr. David Morton's "Item From The Audience" suggesting solutions to various city challenges.
ADVANCE TO 11:53 - Mayor Angela Birney kicks off Council's OMBUDS report where resident inquiries (positive and negative) are addressed. As follows:
Friday, March 31, 2023
Historical Society Speaker Series: "All Over the Map: Surprising Places and Place-names of the Evergreen State"
Speaker: Feliks Banel |
Laura Lee Bennett
Senior Vice President
Program Committee Chair
Redmond Historical Society
www.redmondhistoricalsociety.
programs@
206-351-2826