Mayor Birney's 2024 Redmond LIGHTS

  " YOUR PLACE IN THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE" 

Artist:  Karl Whiteside

(click picture to enlarge) 

Four-week Detour On Redmond Way

 

Bike and Pedestrian Detour in Downtown Redmond  

As early as the morning of Dec. 9th, Sound Transit’s contractors will be closing a section of sidewalk along Redmond Way and routing people walking or rolling on a temporary detour route. The closure and associated detour will be in place for approximately four weeks.   

 

The detour route will utilize a section of the future East Lake Sammamish Trail which will open in 2025. Once this temporary detour has been utilized this section of the East Lake Sammamish Trail will be closed until construction is completed in 2025. Please see the map below for more information on the detour route.  

City Seeking Comments For Downtown Homeless Project

City Seeking Comments For Downtown Plymouth Homeless Housing Project 

INVITATION TO COMMENT:  COMMENT DUE DATE BY:  NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Description of Proposal: Construction of a six-story mixed-use development including 100 units of permanent supportive housing property management offices, resident services, interior and exterior resident amenity spaces, and approximately 2150 sf of commercial space. 

The building and surrounding fenced structure is located in Downtown Redmond across from Anderson Park and not far from Redmond Elementary. It will permanently house 65% homeless individuals from the Eastside and 35% homeless from the Seattle area.  The facility has "no barrier" to entry.  

 

To view more information about this project, click the link below.

Plymouth Supportive Housing | Redmond, WA 

 

To comment contact the city planner:

• David Lee
• dlee@redmond.gov
• 425-556-2462

Date of City Notice:  Monday, October 21, 2024 

                                           King 5 inclusive coverage 

Privately Owned Scooter Transportation

This comment was made by Patrick T. under a Redmond 2050 Facebook post:

"I ride a scooter as my primary method of transportation 99% of the year (unless it's actually frozen or snowy, like two weeks out of the year). Beyond all the advantages in cost to own and operate, I can just shoulder surf or lane-filter past stopped traffic AND I still get to be fully motorized so the time it takes me to get somewhere doesn't go up for 50 minutes (unlike with a bus). Also I can get up to 40mph so I can do longer distance travel on roads. It truly is a life hack, the best of both worlds. If it's rainy I have a rainproof jacket and pants, and if it's cold I have an extra layer. Screw traffic! "  

Patrick T.  

Redmond 2050 Facebook Page

Scooters have a small footprint so parking space is readily available, as well. 

 

"Pro Scooter Shop" on NE 95the Street by the Connector Trail and the Eastside Gym.  425-968-5058  A convenient location for a trial run.  

Other scooter stores.  Helmets are for sale at most stores.  

Posted by Yoder

10/12/2024

Letter to the Editor: UPDATED: Mayor Birney Has Too Much Power

Unlike its neighboring cities, such as Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Woodinville, Bothell, and Sammamish, which ALL have a council-manager form of government, City of Redmond has a strong mayor-council form of government. Under the strong mayor form of government, mayor has too much power: while the council has legislative power, the mayor has veto power; the mayor is the chief executive officer, centralizing executive power. We have all witnessed the damages done allowing downtown homeless housing in Redmond and the entire Eastside when the mayor has too much power yet free from checks and balances.

Safe Eastside

Posted, 10/9/2024

Letter to the Editor: City Council Deprived Peoples' Rights On Homeless Decision

The Washington Constitution states, “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.” 

When the Redmond City Council, deprived people of their rights to give input and rushed to give away public land to Plymouth Housing for developing a low-barrier homeless building in downtown Redmond, they failed to comply with the Washington Constitution.

Facts about the Plymouth homeless building in downtown Redmond:

• Located across the street from Anderson Park, only 0.5 miles from Redmond Elementary School;
• This is a 6-story, 100-unit, single adult only homeless building;
• No drug testing will be conducted. Drugs will be allowed in the building;
• Other than lifetime registered sex offenders, all other sex offenders are eligible;
• Other than meth producers who were convicted in the past 5 years, all other drug producers and drug dealers are eligible;
• The city made falsely claim and secretly plans to limit eligibility to people with disabilities. According to state law and the common practices of the state, county, and city, mental illness and substance use disorder are all considered disabilities. The city and Plymouth Housing want to secretly limit eligibility for this building to people with mental illness and drug addiction ;
• Homeless people from outside of Redmond are eligible;
• The City of Kenmore started this project via RFP in 2022 and rejected it in 2024 after three public hearings. The City of Redmond approved this project in 7 days with no public input period at all;
• The city is now withholding critical information and refuse to hold any public hearings;
• We, the people, must remind elected officials that they are elected by the people and for the people.

Safe Eastside

Posted by Yoder, 10/23/2024

Updated: "Council Conversations" In The Downtown Park

Downtown Park COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS, The Safety Table / photo Yoder

I sat in at three tables conversing with councilmembers and residents at the busy Safety table, Environmental Sustainablity table and Miscellaneous table.  Council V.P. Jessica Forsythe presided over the Safety Table. Feedback from a resident/family living in a downtown apartment was especially interesting.  He wanted stop signs placed on Cleveland Street intersections and other downtown intersections -- said he saw pedestrians getting mildly brushed.  He said Uber drivers were the worst; always looking at their cell phones. Another guy complained about gangs that prey on residents for their belongings. He thought only 4 - 6 police officers patrolled the whole city and asked for 16 more officers.  I think Jessica said the department had over 140 officers (traffic, patrol, detective, drone, criminal, crime etc.) with plans for 4 more.  CM (councilmember) Fields asked why the need for 16 more officers?  I questioned the need for council taxing their city utilities and raising the business tax to fund a $6 million dollar public safety gap. IMO, the .25% city excise tax on construction was funding enough. 

I briefly sat in at CM Stuart's Environmental Sustainablity Table. Trees were a topic of great interest.  One resident said low income housing developments "lit up the heat map" owing to significant tree loss. Ms. Stuart said our canopy goal was 40%.  We're at about 38% canopy now.  Ms. Stuart alluded to the Master Builders lawsuit against Kirkland. The city has kept our existing 2018 Tree Regulations as is for 16 years (!) and now the new, approved Update has been delayed for two years longer because of the lawsuit, with no end is sight.  So, 40% goal seems out of reach. I suggested focusing on park and street trees like we have in the Downtown Park. Ms. Stuart lives in Overlake; she knows about the green roof installations on many of the buildings there.  My feedback was the city needs code for encouragement of "green roofs" in all downtown construction projects. At least three developments (villages) are planned for Redmond by 2050 and we need green roofs and wall gardens in those buildings,  

CM Stuart took this opportunity to update us on Sound Transit's light rail progress to our downtown. It was very interesting. I believe she said it will reach our downtown by mid-2025 and cross the bridge by late 2026.  I'm not light rail has something to do with our environment, but maybe in part.  I met Council President Vanessa Kritzer after the event; she spoke of a green vegetative - tree ring around the City one day.

Conversations didn't stop after the event was formally over.  I chatted with two on-duty police officers about "speed cameras."  It re-enforced my belief `they would consistently slow my "speed" around schools, but the ramifications to traffic congestion are unknown. I had a 25-minute talk with Andrew Villeneuve about our "news desert."   He wants to start an online newspaper and I plan to help him.  

Councilmember Fields has been pushing for neighborhood Conversations for years.  This one was a total winner and weather permitting, I hope we have many more!  Thank you Steve.  

-- Bob Yoder, 10/1/2024

[All  the councilmembers participated except for Angie.  Retired councilmembers Pat Vache' and Hank Myers were present. Sue Stewart, Kiwanis Secretary and Siri Bliesner retired LWSD Director, and active member of Civic Genius were present.  

[Siri is starting a Civic Genius roundtable on affordable housing.  "Deliberative Democracy" is at their core. If you would like to join Siri please email her at: siri@ourcivicgenious.org]  

Updated 9/2: Kiwanis Club Trail Clean-Up

 

(l-r)  Bob Yoder (walk-on,) Pat Vache' (Founder,) Sue Stuart (Secretary) Dave Juarez (Lead / Organizer)

I think, twice a year the Kiwanis Club does a "trail clean-up."  (They have a great tool that allows you to pick up trash without having to bend over and get your hands dirty.)  We cleared out several "camps" including a tossed grocery cart.  

Residents are always invited to participate in Kiwanis events even if you're not a member.  For me, this event was really fun, great exercise and a good way to meet some members.  Bear Creek is one of my favorite places in Redmond.  It was a joy to make it better.  

Flash:  Sign up for their September 28 Mariner fundraiser HERE, at their website.  Great seat locations and for a good cause!  $27 of each ticket purchased will be donated to Kiwanis feeding programs!  

- Posted by Yoder

  updated: 9/2/2024

Updated: Together Center Extravaganza

CONNECTIONS will be tabling at this event.  

If you wish to see the Together Center in action and learn from our incredible onsite provider partners and resources and services available at Together Center, please join us on Saturday, September 21 from 10am-1pm for our Community Resource Extravaganza featuring over 20 nonprofit partners, free food, live music, a petting zoo, art making, and raffle prizes. We hope to see you!

-- Kim Sarneki, Together Center CEO

Let's Move Redmond: An Open Streets Festival

This video interviews attendees of the first Let's Move Redmond event. MOVE REDMOND opened up 161st Street in Downtown Redmond, WA so people could bike, scoot, walk, and play in the streets.

IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN A DOWNTOWN APARTMENT, A GOOD PLACE TO PARK IS IN THE REDMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOT OR RIDE A BIKE, TAKE A SCOOTER, OR WALK FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.  I WOULD NOT ADVISE DRIVING.

"Erratic" and "Sky Painting" Art - Have You Seen It?

The Erratic outdoor artwork is located on Leary Avenue just south of the Matador.  When looking east you'll see it during the day.   Is it safe at night to walk through the Erratic to activate the colored lights? Have you ever seen the colored lights?  The City of Redmond says:  

"Five thousand years ago Redmond, Washington, was buried under 3,000 feet of ice. Today we rarely if ever, see large boulders—glacial erratics—that were left in the wake of the retreating ice.  On the new Redmond Central Connector park, the city built their own erratic in the form of historical art.  

When the BNSF Railroad left Redmond, it left behind miles of rails, mounting plates, and spikes.  3,000 steel plates were salvaged from the BNSF Railroad that once crossed the site; these form the cladding for the Erratic‘s skin. Motion detectors inside the glass fronts activate colored LED lights, delighting passersby with an interactive experience."  

The Erratic was created by artist John Fleming,  It was commissioned in 2013 for the Redmond Central Connector in celebration of Redmond’s Centennial.  Mr. Flemming also painted SKY PAINTING on a large downtown parking lot (you got to see it to believe it.) He installed railroad "Signals" art in the downtown Linear Park.  

Seven years after the Erratic was installed (2013) it had to be moved because Sound Transit's new downtown Light rail station needed the site.  Sound Transit paid a fixed amount and the city picked up the remainder totaling ~ $1,000,000.    Watch this 2-minute construction video and you'll see why the relocation was so expensive. 

Posted by Bob Yoder, 8/31/2024

Find an archive of Erratic articles and opinions here, including a "Letter To The Editor." 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Downtown Plymouth Homeless Project A Ticking Time Bomb

I want to share my thoughts regarding the Plymouth Housing project for chronic homeless in downtown Redmond and the city council’s actions to discourage public comments.

The Redmond City Council rushed and acted recklessly when they decided to award the expensive public land and high-impact project to Plymouth Housing after less than one hour of discussion (a 30-minute behind closed doors executive meeting on February 6th, and a 30-minute special meeting on February 13th). Basic questions asked by the Kenmore City Council, such as those regarding “set aside” for local placements, “low barrier” and public safety, compliance, tenant screening, and Plymouth’s application process, etc. were never asked by the Redmond City Council.

Plymouth Housing’s troubled reputation: The recent overdose death of Mike Matzick inside the Plymouth Housing run Scargo and Lewiston Apartments in Belltown. Mike “had been deceased for three days when he was discovered.” The lived experience at the Plymouth Housing run Pat Williams Apartments in South Lake Union that “newcomers who move in & WANT to become or stay clean and sober” “get preyed on by the toxic residents.” 

Additionally, the concerning 911 call records at the Plymouth Crossing in Bellevue show incidents of death, VUCSA, disturbances (including harassment), behavioral health issues, assault, fire, indecent exposure, etc. Yet, the city council rejected the proposal to go through an open RFP to select the best qualified operator. Led by Council 

President Kritzer and Planning Director Helland, they openly misled the public on this project both in council meetings and through communications and set up barriers to prevent the public from getting critical information in a timely manner. Many questions remain unanswered. They want to quietly move forward to avoid public scrutiny.

Led by Council President Kritzer, the Redmond City Council has refused to allow public input. No public comments were allowed before the council cast their votes. Despite the public’s repeated requests, the City Council refused to hold any public hearings or two-way dialogue meetings.The public was left with no choice but to attend council meetings and raise their concerns during public comment time. The Redmond City Council later voted to curb public comment during council meetings on May 7th.

The Redmond City Council has been completely ignoring the public’s safety, drug use, and drug trafficking concerns. What is happening in Factoria, where the Plymouth Crossing is located, is a clear warning. A local developer told the city, “The landscaping around his Eastgate location has been damaged over the last 8 months, people doing drugs, police called daily.” Yet, the Redmond City Council continues to turn a deaf ear to those concerns and pat each other on the back for being the heroes and picking up the project that the City of Kenmore deemed would hurt its community and denied. 

The skimping on parking space at the Plymouth Housing building in order to “be as cost-effective as possible” under the guise of being “green” will worsen the already challenging parking situation in downtown Redmond near the Anderson Park area. By Redmond zoning code, Plymouth Housing is required to build 120 parking spaces for the 100-unit building. Yet, Plymouth Housing is asking for “NO RESIDENTIAL PARKING BE PROVIDED” and “A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED PARKING STALLS.” This is absurd! 

In comparison, the King County-owned and Salvation Army-operated Redmond Silver Cloud has 140 parking spaces for its 100 units, and its Safety and Security Plan states, “Residents are prohibited from parking along the street or in other areas alongside the HTH Redmond facility.”

The Plymouth Housing project to house 100 chronic homeless in downtown Redmond is a ticking time bomb.  I'm counting on State Representative Amy Walen and our leaders to help save our city from turning into Seattle. 

KATHY LAMBERT

Redmond, WA.  

July 31, 2024

Derby Days / Council Perspective

In a council meeting Councilmember (CM) Stuart was surprised the city commissioners wouldn't be "on the porch" with Council to converse with the public at Derby Days.  She asked a city Director why the commissioners weren't included and learned it was the Executive Department -- run the mayor -- who decided against it, preferring staff be immediately on hand.   

Commissioners are--vital city volunteers with expertise in:  Parks & Recreation, Arts & Culture, and Growth Planning.  They serve four year terms, giving recommendations and guidance to council after in-depth deliberations. 

CM Stuart asked for a Derby event in the downtown park, saying it is our "Town Square."  The idea was rejected for the second year.  

Side-note:  If you listened to the Mayor's Derby Day video, a "Diaper Parade" is in the line-up. Diapers are needed up to 4-years of age.  Baby carriages?  Sounds cute, but unfortunately, diapers are unaffordable and for some families and they must be subsidized.

-- Bob Yoder,  7/10/24

Derby Days

\

Downtown Park Receives Canadian Award of Excellence

Credit:  CSLA's Awards Atlas.

 REDMOND, WA - The City’s Downtown Park earned the prestigious Award of Excellence for Small-Scale Public Landscapes from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA). The award recognizes the innovative design and thoughtful planning behind this tech-savvy urban space.

Designed by PFS Studio, a leading planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm based in Vancouver, BC, Redmond Downtown Park is a testament to visionary design's power in reinvigorating urban spaces. The park, located in the heart of Redmond, is a vibrant gathering place for community engagement and cultural activities.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Redmond Downtown Park

 

Centro Cultural Mexicano invites you to join us at our annual Cinco de Mayo event at Redmond Downtown Park! This free, family-friendly cultural celebration highlights traditional Mexican culture, music, and food through seven hours of entertainment. We welcome you to be part of our event this year!

When:  Sunday, May 5 

11 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Where:  Downtown Park

 

--  ExperienceRedmond.com

UPDATED OPINION, 5/7/2024: Mayor Birney Should Speak Up On Plymouth Housing

OPINION:  Redmond is in a turmoil.  From the blue "Demand a Say" signs scattered all over our city and numerous City Hall meetings over-flowing with protesters, we all know Council (and indirectly the Mayor) made the fateful "Plymouth decision" to welcome 100 homeless to our downtown.    

Some background:  The King County Regional Homeless Authority (KCRHA) is promoting a regional approach to the homeless problem and now taking Seattle's severe homeless to the suburbs.  Their disorganized 3-Board strategy didn't work in Kenmore and it's not working in Redmond.   

Bellevue accepted the first Plymouth Housing building on the Eastside. It opened on July 23, 2023 and is located in a distant 10-acre low income "ecosystem."  

At Bellevue's Plymouth, "three staff members will live on-site and a health care clinic will allow these homeless to meet with primary care and psychiatry providers, and have an option for 24/7 telehealth urgent care."  Fantastic!  I hope this comes to fruition with many residents exiting. 

According to Seattle Times, to qualify for a Plymouth studio in Bellevue, potential residents "must have been homeless for at least a year and have at least one disability."  Thus, the conditions of these homeless are severe, by far "not run of the mill."  

By 2027, Redmond will have a similar building located in our downtown across from Anderson Park.  Hopefully, our downtown homeless will have sufficient Plymouth human services to keep their residents stable and our community safe.     

Mayor Birney should speak directly to the public to explain why she's accepting severe homeless in our downtown.  By reaching out, she will quell miss-information, calm the public, and stimulate productive, community conversations. Until the Mayor speaks up and leads, the disorder and chaos could continue.

-- Bob Yoder, 4/8/2024, Updated Opinion 5/7/24

Sources:  Seattle Times, 3/21/2024  Seattle Times, 7/17/2023  Plymouth Housing website KCRHA website, redmondblog.org  Cartoon: The New Yorker.                    

Camouflaged Goose Nest On Sammamish River

 

 Canadian goose nesting on tree snag in Redmond / credit John Reinke 

In 2020, John Reinke took this amazing photo of a Canadian goose nesting her offspring in a 20-foot tree-trunk snag. Note the camouflage!  The snag is located in the 90th-Street Run-off Pond designed to clean water entering the Sammamish River. 

The dead tree was cut down in 2023 during a $1M city restoration project to improve drainage from the pond into the Sammamish River.  Since then the goose and other waterfowl haven't returned to build nests.

Mr. Reinke lives in Redmond, WA.  He's an avid nature photographer focusing on city wildlife living along a downtown segment of the Sammamish River.  

-- B. Yoder, 

  4/2/2024

8-story Project Will Prod Seniors From Their Homes

8-story project site and Land Use "invitation to comment," credit Yoder

It's been decided, by the city Director of Planning & Community Development (also ARCH Chair,) that 24 Seniors will have to be relocated somewhere to make room for a novel 8-story apartment building.  

Downtown land is at a premium and owners are cashing in any way they can.    

Relocating small businesses for Big Growth hurts.  Prodding Seniors out of their homes is worse. Hopefully, not one of these vulnerable Seniors will need temporary shelter.  

I called Lauren Anderson, the city project planner for verification on the number of Seniors; to date no response.  

 --Bob Yoder, opinion

   3/27/2024

Construction Art

"Construction Art installation" on Cleveland Street / B. Yoder

Puzzle:  What's inside?  😄

3/22/2024