2021 Private Development -- Low Affordablity, High Commercial

Rendering of Redmond Square (facing light rail) ckos.com

Recap of Redmond Council's 9/14 Study session:

PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT: Summary: 1) excessive commercial space (office space; industrial; multi-family rentals; and retail.) 2) lack of affordable housing units.  

• Of significance, Commercial Space grew 90% from last year.  7,500sf (2020) 77,912sf (2021)  The senior planner glazed over this; council didn't raise any questions. Redmond is becoming a retail desert.  Our planners should report retail statistics and be held accountable. 
• Staff reported 58 Pre-Applications on all projects under review.  😩
• Nelson "Project One,"  4,316 Sq ft Commercial proposed, 25 Affordable units,Woonerf and Open Space.
• Redmond Square:  623 New units, only 62 affordable units, 30,000 Commercial SqFt Retail is getting shoved out.
• Redmond Sunrise Apartments:  93 dwelling units. 2,000 SqFt Commercial (yes, more) Roof top activity deck and Car stackers. Innovative design! 
• LMC South Marymoor Village: 284 Units, 28 low-cost affordble units. Why is 10% affordable units the city standard for all these projects?  Why not an extra story to incent 25% affordable?
• The Spark, 217 Dwelling units, 12,800 Sqft proposed. Here we go again:  22 affordable units.
• Proctor Willows:  195 Dwelling Units, 20 affordable,  22,000 Sq ft. commercial (yep) Trails/Public Art. (Yay)
• NOTE:  President Padhye asked the Planning Director why 10% affordable units are so common in developments. The Director appeared to brush this aside saying the large projects have a higher percentage of affordable.  Why not an extra story to incent 25% affordable?

This clip was taken during Council's Private Development discussion in City Hall. CM Vanessa Kritzer is the first to speak.  She was concerned with the retail driven out of Redmond Square and other developments.  She thought shoppers may have to take light rail to get their things.  Council V.P. Jeralee Anderson asked Planning Director Carol Helland questions related to parking challenges.  Jaralee is up for re-election in November.  

Watch the video in full screen.  It makes a big difference.

 -- Bob Yoder, 9/20/2021