Removing "the buggers" - restoring the forest!

Here's a photo of my friend, Doug. He's standing in front of what used to be a huge mound of Himalayan Blackberries. This particular type of blackberry is a nasty plant that is harmful to the forest floor because it takes over the smaller native forest plants. We cleared out this area in just 35 minutes using city supplied tools. Amazing how fast it goes. Once we get these berry bushes removed everyone will be able to look into the forest and enjoy it. In the Fall we'll plant native plants the city gives us.

Doug is an exceptional person committed to restoration and forest management. He has a Masters in Horticulture specializing in invasive plants and really knows how to take these buggers down. In addition, he is a new member to the WATER TENDERS, a grass roots organization dedicated to conserving the Bear Creek Basin.

Doug and his son is a BMX cyclist and they enjoy riding the dirt bike trail nearby. After we stripped these blackberries Doug talked to the BMX youth playing on the trail and gave them a great lesson on tree conservation. Basically, Doug advised the kids not to remove dirt from the root zones of the trees. (Dirt is needed to build the course). My old "lunch buddy" Dallas immediately got a shovel and started covering the exposed roots. Protecting the trees is very important to the city and our "forest stewardship citizen program". Thanks to Doug, the BMXers know.

Speaking of forest stewardship: On Saturday, April 25, 10-2 you and your neighbors are invited to a "restoration" event at this same place to remove lots of these buggers. Come to the corner of NE 100th St and 171st Ave. NE by the LDS (Morman) Church lower parking lot. Make this your personal "Earth Day" event and have some neighborhood cookies, too!

Mary Marsh's Bio-Chem students learn about stream habitat restoration.

This is a slide show of the "Roberts Creek Restoration" project organized by the Water Tenders of Bear Creek Basin. The Water Tenders worked last year in partnership with Redmond High School teacher Mary Marsh's Bio-Chem class. The students you see Juniors. It was a smashing success. Look for video clips toward the end of the show.

These students are "mulching" to keep the plant roots moist and weed-free. It's one of the final stages of restoration. The first stage of restoration is removal of non-native, invasive vegetation (blackberries, reed canary grasses, and ivy are common). Invasive plants strangle trees and harm salmon habitat. The second stage is Fall planting of native shrubs and sapling trees. Native plants help keep the stream water cold for salmon and stream beds clean for salmon hatching. Mulching, monitoring, and maintenance are the final stages of restoration.




The Marchione Administration has begun a restoration program to keep our City Park greenbelts healthy. If you want to participate, stay tuned or click the link. Visit the Water Tender's site to learn about their 4/30 event.

Do you have a comment?

Basketball and Church draws Mayor John Marchione back to the neighborhoods.

Updated, 3/22: It's refreshing to see Mayor John Marchione getting out into the community and showing interest in the neighborhoods that elected him our city CEO and Representative. John participated with Fire and Police in student Olivia's High School Dodge Ball Fundraiser at the beginning of his term, but then became bogged down with managing the bureaucracy and budget. For a while , I was fearful John would morph into a total bureaucrat. It doesn't look like it now, but we'll know for sure by baseball season.

Currently, tournament basketball and city-church land use activities are pulling John back into the neighborhoods. Yeh! At the last Council meeting John announced high numbers of students busing to Tacoma to root for our H.S. Boys State Basketball players in the State tournament. It must have helped. Redmond took 5th in the State!

(The http://www.redmondboysbasketball.com/ high school site has stories, pics and video clips).

Did you hear, Lenny Wilkens, the winning Sonic coach during the 1979 NBA championship, was the featured guest at the Washington Cathedral's (WC) event last Saturday? John Marchione's council work on WC land-
use Reviews engaged him with the church . Mr. Mayor was part of the Saturday ribbon-cutting ceremony for WC's massive new recreation/sanctuary facility. (Pastor Tim White is on the left). I missed it, but who knows, John could have been asked to start the tip-off in the Redmond-Woodinville basketball game played in the WC gym (played by football players). If John can throw in the ball to start high school dodge ball games why not throw the tip-off for this church basketball game?

Mr. Mayor, council and staff get involved with churches often during land use proposals. In the case of Washington Cathedral (WC) a large and complicated annexation and re-zone was required at the city's sensitive northwestern Gateway. Critical wetland, streams, slopes and severe traffic were mitigated; this project abutted rare valley agricultural land. The city drew the line on WC's 10 acres along 124th. WC wanted to develop this hillside land to build a large grocery store for income. Meta, Mega or Mighty - a church this size needs income. I attended WC many years ago when it was a Nano/Micro-church at Lake Washington H.S.

St. Jude Catholic Church on 166th Av. & 104th St. stands out in it's association with Mayor Marchione. John is a parishioner. Past Mayor Rosemarie Ives attends. Every year, the Parish hosts a "Mayor's Breakfast". Several high-level staff are members. To many neighborhoods, St. Jude is the home of Tent City 4 (TC4). Though TC4 was a success, two years ago the city and citizens underwent a painfully long and troublesome Review and Appeal process. "Temporary Use" was put to the acid test and failed so miserably that this year the Planning Commission re-wrote the code. When TC-4 opens up this spring at St. Jude any appeals will be adequately managed. My wife and I attended this church once, thinking it was Episcopalian! A Public Notice Sign was just posted for a TC4 opening this Spring.

During the Ed. Hill Neighborhood Citizen Advisory Committee, the City and Mayor Ives got involved with the Pastor Robroy Ranger's Redmond Assembly of God (RAG) on 166th Ave., half way up the hill. Robroy spent months, if not years, generously hosting the Advisory Committee and attending Planning Commission meetings. Part of what came of the meetings were the 166 Ave. 3:2 lane improvements and plans to extend 160th Ave. north. The RAG has a basketball court and the church has hosted teams looking for facility. The RAG also hosts a highly regarded day-care service. The church practices speaking in tongues and other charismatic methods of spiritual enlightenment. Pastor Robroy is incredibly passionate and a friendly sole.

A much smaller land use project transpired a few years ago at Redmond Presbyterian Church on NE 100 St. & 166th Ave. Marchione, a councilman at the time, wasn't directly involved but staff was present. Redmond Presbyterian is only 5 minutes from my home so I had some questions about the tree removal to install a parking lot and children's building. Actually, at the project's completion, I found I could enjoy the trees even more because I could see them -- when taking a short-cut through the forested church lot to the Junior High -- and walking the NE 100 St. sidewalk. In addition a lush, green forested greenbelt and a bio-swale is present and best seen inside the sanctuary!

I've attended all the churches listed above but finally found a home at Redmond Presbyterian with Rev. Dr. Larry Grounds and his flock. The church inspires faith in God, celebrates children, and honors community. Larry did his Doctoral dissertation on "Children Stories in Worship". Now I know why we love and learn from his skits for the children every Sunday! Larry's talks are exceptional. This verse about neighbors read last Sunday at Redmond Presbyterian triggered me to post this story. Coincidentally and in theme with this story, Larry Grounds played basketball in High School. He broke his ankle while playing. While in recovery his ministry germinated.

Nationally renowned Redmond High School teacher Mike Town on TV this Wednesday night!

LWSD-Redmond High School Environmental Sciences teacher Mike Town (left) will appear on KCTS 9’s - 17th annual Golden Apple Awards, which airs statewide 8PM this Wednesday 2/25. Mr. Town was awarded the prestigious Stanley O. McNaughton Award for his excellence in Washington state education.

Please don't forget to tune in and celebrate our famous teacher's success this Wednesday night at 8PM on KCTS - 9.
The broadcast will include short documentary-style segments of the award winners in action and highlights of the award ceremony held at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre in January, where an array of guest speakers paid tribute to the local award winners and institutions that continually raise the standard of Washington state education. Speakers included Bill Gates Sr., Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the newly-elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn, and the Lieutenant Governor of the State, Brad Owen. Maurice “Moss” Bresnahan, President and CEO of KCTS 9, and Stanley W. McNaughton, President and CEO of PEMCO Insurance, also discussed how community partnerships extend the impact of educational programs and support lifelong learning.

Mike Town, Teacher, A.P. Environmental Science, grades 11-12, Redmond High School, Lake Washington School District is known throughout his school district for his passion for environmental science. He personally advocates for all students to have access to rigorous A.P. courses and believes strongly that if a student is introduced to college course material and receives credit, the odds of them attending college will increase dramatically. Because of this, Mike opens his six A.P. courses to all students with great success; 50 percent of the student body is enrolled in his courses, and 90 percent of his students score well enough on exams to earn college credit. Outside the classroom, Mike mentors the Environmental Club, which successfully reduced the school’s carbon footprint by implementing environmental changes at the school, including solar panels, a recycling program and environmentally friendly practices in the cafeteria. Under his guidance—and starting from his “simple idea” to invigorate the student body with pride in their environment and their school”—the students launched the Cool Schools campaign. The campaign challenged teachers to reduce their classroom’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2000 pounds, with a plan to achieve a 46-ton reduction. Ultimately, the electricity bills revealed that over 72 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were prevented. This “green school” concept has been replicated at 17 other district schools and has received the Presidential Environmental Youth Award, first and second prizes in Washington State University’s “Imagine Tomorrow” contest, and entry into the Congressional record. Mike’s teaching philosophy holds that change begins in the classroom. As students become passionate and learn about combating global warming, they bring these lessons home to their families and friends.

SW Leary Stormwater Wetland Facility

As you look South when you drive on Leary you will notice the wetland facility. It will not be finished until over 100 trees and shrubs are installed. Do you see the orange mesh fencing? The Sammamish River (and Trail) is behind it. Steve Hitch, the City Senior Stormwater engineer designed the project.

A Seattle consultant for the Redmond Parks Dept. renamed nearby "Slough House Park" to "Old Town Gateway Park". Many citizens, including Pres. Nancy McCormick prefered "Dudley Carter Park". The small park is near the purple tree next to Sammamish River Trail bridge. (4m)

UPDATED: Community Dirt Bike Trail and forest gets trashed.

Recent trashing, dumping, and littering in the vicinity of the Dirt Bike Trail

This slide show tells the sad story of recent disrespect for our neighborhood by adults and youth.

Currently the City Parks and Recreation Department does not supervise the Dirt Bike Trail or surrounding water district forest. This slide show tells the sad story of recent (and past) disrespect for our neighborhood by adults and youth.

Redmond Parks & Recreation Department asks users to:

1) respect the neighborhood
2) remove litter and keep area clean of litter
3) limit bike use to marked areas.
4) not remove soil within the root zones of trees and shrubs.

Clearly, citizens are not being held accountable to Parks Department guidelines. I couldn't find any "marked areas" but did find a significant cedar tree painted green marking the site of a "tree house". It's not just our kids who need supervision. A short side trail at the terminus of NE 100th St. accesses a dump site. Adults are dumping plastic jungle gyms, picket fencing, boxes, and paint buckets.... right off of 171st Ave. I don't set policy but if this were my park I would shut it down until the neighboring kids and adults cleaned it up. What would you do?

Even though the kids aren't responsible for adult dumping they are privileged to have this beautiful place to ride their dirt & mountain bikes and play in the forest. The neighborhood needs to take year-round care and ownership of this beautiful forest and bike trails. Youth leaders need to step up and monitor the site year-round...not only during the summer. The Parks and Trails Commissioners could visit this "corner forest" periodically to see how the city could help. Neighborhood work parties once a year would go a long way towards restoring the beauty of this forest.

The above is my comment to Mr. Larsen, Parks Director and the Mayor's Parks & Trails Commissioners.

If you want to send feedback to the city I will copy your comments made at this post to Mr. Larsen, the commissioners and the Mayor.

CC: Redmond Police
Mr. Craig Larsen, Parks & Rec. Director
ParksandTrailsCommissioners@redmond.gov
Mr. Mayor

Should Evans Creek be renamed?

a 2008 posting

In the Minutes for the July 17, 2008 Planning and Public Works Committee, chaired by Councilmember Hank Margeson, the committee held a discussion about naming city streams. Mayor Marchione noted that "there is some debate regarding the current name of Evans Creek; the Historical Society believes the name of the stream is Martin’s Creek."  

Ben Martin homesteaded on what is now known as Evans Creek. Below, is a brief description, provided by the Redmond Historical Society, on his history and life on the creek.  

Ben Martin’s homestead, c.1910

Martin, John “Ben” Benjamin 1827 - 1920:

Ben Martin was a Civil War veteran who fought for the North under Gen. Sherman.  John was a survivor of Gettysburg. He arrived in Redmond in 1875 coming with the John Perry family on a scow. 

Entitled under the Civil War Veteran’s Land Grant, Ben paid $10 for his 160-acre homestead on the southeast corner of today’s Red Brick Road and Novelty Hill Road. A small creek feeds into Bear Creek on the Martin's homestead in two places.  As other settlers staked their homesteads, the area was soon to be known as Happy Valley.   

Over time, the name of the creek became known as Martin Creek. Ben died in 1920 at the age of 93, and at some point during the ensuing decades, the creek’s name on maps changed from Martin Creek to Evans Creek. Ben’s grandson Daryl Martin believes there was a “a fellow named Evans, don’t know the first name” living in the area for a time.

Listed in Polk Directory 1911-1912 as “Martin John.” Ben is buried in Old Redmond Cemetery. His headstone reads: “Co. A 4 Rest. VA. Vol. Inf”. Ben and his wife Ann Martin 1847 – 1925 had six daughters and five sons. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Miguel Llanos and the Redmond Historical Society for sharing this treasured photo and excellent historical research.  

 Note :by Susan Wilkins, Redmond geologist:  In the Washington Geologic Survey, Bulletin No. 8: Glaciation of the Puget Sound Region published by J Harlen Bretz in 1913, the creek is referred to as Evans Creek on the maps and in the accompanying text. Evans Creek *is* the historical name for the creek so I think it would be wrong and confusing to change it to Martin Creek

Mike Town won the KIRO 7 $5000 environmental award!

Teacher and Environmental Activist hiking WILD SKY WILDERNESS with Senator Patty Murray

THE VOTING IS OVER! Mike Town won!!! Look for Mr. Town on KIRO 7 TV October 20th!
Wild Sky Wilderness will have $5000 additional funding as a result of Mike Town taking the winning vote for conservation excellence.

Click here to watch the KIRO 7, 30 second clip on Mike Town and the 4 other conservationists he was running against.
FROM A FRIEND OF MIKE TOWN: As some folks may know, fellow activist Mike Town is nominated for a KIRO TV Conservation Hero Award for his work on the Wild Sky Wilderness Act. Check out the video that ran on KIRO TV and vote for Mike on KIRO’s web site.If Mike wins, then the $5,000 prize he would receive would go to the Wild Sky Working Group to pay for implementation actions for the Wild Sky Wilderness (i.e., purchasing wilderness trail signs that the Forest Service will not fund, trail signs, road decommissioning elements, etc.)The Wild Sky Wilderness bill was the only wilderness bill in the entire United States that got passed in the 2008 legislative year and it added protections for 106,000 acres of public lands, streams, rivers, and countless species of endangered wildlife and varieties of rare plants.

Mike is passionate about preserving our environment for many reasons, among them the reduction of global warming by preserving our Old Growth forests and the streams that they keep healthy. Mike works with his Redmond High School students in Environmental Studies, continuing to instill the values of good environmental stewardship for future generations.Please vote for Mike Town now and tell your friends, students, teachers, neighbors, fellow workers:

Send Mr. Town your congratulations!
Mike Town, Redmond High School
425 798 4130 ext 185
mtown@lwsd.org

370 new trees will be planted at the Bear Creek Parkway Project

Earlier posts on this blog show bulldozing and deforestation of the Saturday Market area and Heron Rookery forest attributed to the Bear Creek Parkway Ext. and Stormwater Treatment Wet Pond. Ms. Lisa Singer, Project Manager of the Bear Creek Parkway project told me the city will be replacing the lost trees with 370 new trees! This is generous. Planting 370 trees is way beyond code requirements for this project. For example, the seven urban Landmark trees cut down in front of the Saturday Market will be replaced with 36 trees. Code requires only 21 new trees. Thank you, Ms. Singer for restoring our green treed Gateway.

A Landmark tree is greater than 30 inches in diameter measured at breast height. When a Landmark tree is removed code requires replacement by 3 trees. Depending on weather conditions and species, a young tree sapling planted by the city will take about 70-90 years to grow into Landmark status. Thus, I will be 127 years old and my 16 year old daughter will be 96 years old before the new trees planted in Saturday Market area grow back to Landmark size.

Losing our downtown Landmark trees will have long-lasting impacts to the old look and feel of downtown Redmond. The new look and feel should be greener despite the new Parkway. Planner Lisa Singer says "It will be a beautiful amenity, as well as functional of course, once the project is completed. We’ll have many new pedestrian and bike connections and loop trails!" Lisa provided the following tree data for the project:

There are actually a total of 370 new trees proposed for the Bear Creek Parkway and Stormwater Treatment Facility project. Breakdown of new tree planting locations are as follows:

• 42 trees will be planted in the Saturday Market area. To clarify, this includes the existing roadway surface of Bear Creek Parkway in the area between Redmond Town Center and Leary Way. 7 of the 13 trees removed in the Saturday Market area were Landmark Trees.
• The removals in the Saturday Market area were necessary to accommodate the alignment change in Bear Creek Parkway and the pavement from the existing roadway alignment will be removed and restored with vegetation.
• 94 deciduous trees will be planted in new planter strips and landscaped medians of Bear Creek Parkway.
• 145 trees will be planted in the area along the northern border of the Heron Rookery between Leary Way and 159th Place NE. 25 trees were removed to build the Leary Heron rookery trail.
• 75 trees will be planted in the vicinity of the new regional Water Quality Facility.
  108 of the new trees will be planted in planter strips and landscaped medians.

Bear Creek Parkway construction alters "look & feel" of Saturday Market

Trees are a integral part of Redmond's Saturday Market culture, as you can see by the sign

OPINION:  Invaluable improvements to traffic circulation around and through the downtown will be achieved once the Bear Creek Parkway Extension is completed. Unfortunately, the removal of significant trees near the Saturday Market is noticeable. According to city Project Planner Lisa Singer, 13 trees were removed from the Saturday Market gateway. As you enter Redmond on Leary Way the Saturday Market has lost it's park-like appearance. I haven't been to the Market recently to see how it feels. Please comment on this post if you have strong feelings about the changes.

Below, is a short clip of the parkway construction's impact to the Saturday Market, Heron Rookery, and Gateway. Councilman Vache' was noticably absent during the Council's 4-2 decision to go ahead with this unpopular roadway alignment. Councilman Cole was forced by Vache's absence to change his voting preference to keep the project moving forward. Councilmembers David Carson and Kimberly Allen voted against this alignment. Below is a 2 min. clip of the construction around the Saturday Market and heron rookery.  Opinion and photos/video By Yoder

Teacher Mike Town held a key role in designating "wild Skykomish country" a Federally protected Wilderness Area

Did you hear the Wild Sky Wilderness Act passed Congress this Spring? "Wild Sky" is the first national forest wilderness designation in Washington State in 23 years. It will receive the highest protections given Federal lands. Mike Town, Redmond High School science teacher and activist was a key player in the six-year effort to pass the Act.

Mr. Town's June 14, 2003 testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests tells alot about the Wild Skykomish County and Mike Town. As per his testimony, Mike has spent over 15 years hiking, sking, and snowshoeing more than 200 miles annually the Wild Sky country.

Mr. Town's opening remarks to the United States Senate Subcommittee are, as follows:

Within the boundaries of the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness are lush old
growth forests, high peaks over 6000 feet tall, breathtaking waterfalls,
1000-foot cliffs, pristine rivers and secluded alpine lakes. The proposal
protects over 25 miles of the Skykomish River, which provides habitat for
endangered species, world-class white water and renowned fishing. Other
watersheds in the proposal contribute to clean and safe drinking water for
the City of Everett and the forested slopes reduce the potential for downstream
flooding. Recreation abounds in the Wild Sky as backcountry skiers; anglers,
hunters, hikers, horseback riders and campers flock to this spectacular area.
This steady flow of visitors is critical to the economic stability of small towns in the Skykomish valley. "

Mike's testimony to the senators then goes on for pages and pages as he describes in detail the myriad of features and characteristics of the "Wild Sky" country he explored.
In an article in the Seattle P.I., 10/31/07 Mike stated:

In the past, wilderness has consisted solely of old growth forest at higher
elevations. Wild Sky protects thousands of acres of low-elevation old growth and
25 miles of salmon streams to make the land accessible for recreational use.
"This meadow country is a migration corridor that fits together with these
other wildernesses," said Mike Town, a science teacher at Redmond High School.
"We would have almost a continuous swatch of meadows across the Cascades. It
would take a lifetime to explore."

Senator Patty Murray was the primary sponsor and along with Rep. Rick Larson, the Act passed the full House 291 - 117. In Senator Murray's Press Release of 4/10/08 the following comments of Mr. Town:

Mike Town – a high school science teacher from Duvall, Washington – described
introducing his students to a wild salmon spawning site near the proposed Wild
Sky Wilderness. Because that river’s headwaters are in the proposed wilderness
area, the water is still so pristine that salmon are able to thrive. Today, it’s
one of the few places left in the Cascades where spawning salmon are still so
numerous, you could walk across the river on their backs. Mike called the river,
“one of the greatest spectacles in nature.” And he added, “I cherish the belief
that with federal protection for this area, my teenage students will have the
ability to share the experience of spawning wild salmon with their
grandchildren.”

The Washington Wilderness Coalition press release of the wilderness Act's congressional approval of April, 2008 gives details.

The Wild Sky Wilderness Act will designate 106,577 acres of national forest in east Snohomish County as wilderness. Key Facts are here. !

I spent many a summer backpacking the Enchantment Lakes of Alpine Lakes Wilderness before permits were required (because it was being "loved to death.") The Upper Enchantments were my favorite place! I can't wait to explore the Wild Sky Wilderness and find my favorite spot!

OPINION: THE SR520 EXPANSION BETWEEN THE SAMMAMISH RIVER BRIDGE AND REDMOND WAY - From 4 lanes in 1992 to 8 lanes in 2008. But at what cost?

How many people remember what traffic was like on 520 in Redmond in 1992 when the freeway expansion and improvements were first approved? Back then, the eastbound lanes of 520 ended at the stoplight on Redmond Way and cars waited in line to cross onto Avondale Road or turn left or right onto Redmond Way. A trip from Overlake in Bellevue to UPS on Union Hill Road in the afternoon could take an hour or more. The addition of the flyover so that cars didn’t have to stop at the light on Redmond Way was such an improvement (although everyone was dismayed when it only had one lane in each direction.) In the past year, an additional flyover was built to allow traffic from westbound Redmond Way to flow directly onto 520 without stopping at the traffic lights on Redmond Way. This summer the Department of Transportation plans to start adding four additional lanes to 520 so that there will be four lanes in each direction. The new lanes are to be built on the north side of the freeway in the area now occupied by the Bear Creek floodway. click picture to enlarge


In 1992, the Redmond Town Center site was an empty field that had been a golf course and before that, a farm. The land was part of the Bear Creek 100-year flood plain so when a major storm occurred, storm water from Bear Creek could flood north towards the railroad tracks where the main parking garage, REI and Macy’s are now located. The whole area could flood to a depth of 2 to 3 feet for a day or two and then the floodwater would recede. When Redmond Town Center was constructed, most of the site was filled in with millions of cubic feet of trucked-in dirt and the elevation of the entire site was raised about 5 feet. Stores, offices, parking lots, roads and sidewalks have been built and the empty fields that once stored floodwater from Bear Creek now contribute to the run-off that flows into the creek. Even more of the flood plain was filled when the Bear Creek Parkway was built around the perimeter of the mall.

Upstream along Bear Creek and Evans Creek, new developments have dumped their overflow runoff into tributaries and storm channels that drain directly to the creeks. The creeks now overflow their banks when the valley gets more than 2 inches of rain in a day. The Keller Farm fields between Avondale and Union Hill Roads regularly flood with storm water from upstream. With the extra floodwater from upstream and the flood plain north of Bear Creek filled and built up, the floodwaters from Bear Creek fill the entire channel between the Bear Creek Parkway and SR520. During the December 3, 2007 storm, the floodwater was within 3 feet of the shoulder of the westbound lanes of 520!

There is way too much water flowing through a channel that has been narrowed by the Town Center development on the north side of the creek. And the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT)wants to reduce the channel and floodway on the south side of the creek even more by adding four more lanes to 520. The new lanes will extend 40 feet north of the westbound shoulder where floodwaters gush whenever we get a major storm. Untreated run-off from the new lanes will be washed directly into Bear Creek during major storm events. Salmon depend on this channel to get to their highly productive spawning beds upstream in Bear Creek, Evans Creek and Cottage Lake Creek. Narrowing the floodway with the new lanes could also cause severe flooding upstream especially near the Bear Creek Shopping Center and along Redmond Way.

The SR520 expansion plan was approved in 1992. Since then, a lot has changed in Redmond and the Department of Transportation’s plans for 520 and Bear Creek have become obsolete. Maybe it’s time for a new plan – for the sake of the salmon and the city.

[Historic Bear Creek flood plain boundary drawn from the 1992 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for SR520, Figure 3-8: FLOOD PLAIN AND FLOODWAY BOUNDARIES, p. 3-47 and from the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Parcel 390 of 1725, Map #53033C0390G, March 30, 1998.]

Bob Yoder
Susan Wilkins, co-author

LWSD teacher Mike Town and 5 students receive EPA award from President Bush today!

Photos from top down - students in Rose Garden with President and Laura Bush - Mike Town walking Big Sky Wilderness with Senator Patty Murray - RHS students reducing school carbon footprint.

Read the EPA announcement HERE about the "Presidential Environmental Youth Award" given to Mr. Mike Town, Redmond High School teacher and his 5 students.

The award was 'given' today by President Bush and the EPA Administrator!

more sources go here

A 2008 field trip with Ms. Marsh.

Redmond's poop once flowed downhill to "South Treatment Plant" in Renton. Yesterday, Redmond High School science teacher Ms. Marsh, took 25 students and a smattering of parents to the Renton plant for an incredibly fascinating three hour tour. Yep, that's right --fascinating!

Ms. Casey Plank, full time tour guide, gave an awesome tour! Her 4 minute video clip above touches on it. If she had more time she would have taken us to the "WaterWorks Garden wetland" and art adjacent to the plant.
Some interesting history! Did you know that Redmond's wastewater was all dumped into Lake Washington 50 years ago? Thirty pipes pipes from Eastside cities all dumped (pun intended) poop, TP, pharmaceuticals, floss, tampons and other waste into the lake. Swimming, fishing and other water sports were non-existent. One day, citizens couldn't take it anymore and the pipes were capped. Only ten years later the lake water was clean, thanks to friendly bacteria! Today, one 14-foot pipe empties into the plant!
Casey told us only the "4 P's" should go into toilets. Can you guess what the *"4P's" are? Pharmaceuticals is NOT one of them! They are not good for our salmon. Drugs and hormones have been attributed to male fish producing eggs in some eastern rivers! That's right!
In 2011 Redmond's poop will begin flowing north of Woodinville to the Brightwater treatment plant currently under construction. But that's another story! Thank you Ms. Marsh for this one!
If you're looking for something to do with your family or friends on EARTH DAY, Casey will be giving a tour of the wetland park, art, and wastewater treatment plant. Don't miss the heron rookery! Did you know herons are Redmond's "species of local importance"? EARTH DAY is Saturday, April 19. The tour is from 10am to 2pm. Questions! Call 206-296-8361.
Bob Yoder, co-author, Education Hill Neighborhood
Frequently asked questions on the city's website. "4P's" below
2.5 minute video clip of a segment of Casey's underground tour.

*the "4 P's" are poop,pee,puke, and TP.
The History of Metro - sewage treatment, bus transit, and other county regional issues.

OPINION: 7/19/07 Shaughnessy Heights PRD - longest land-use plat review in Redmond history

OPINION

/17/07 - Last night's citizen appeal to council of the Shaughnessy Heights, 15.1 acre 42-lot development adjacent Redmond El. will go down in the history books. It was the longest running plat review in city history - much owing to our PRD (Planned Residential Use) policy allowing for clear-cuts and greater densities.
The proposed development of approximately 42 lots (including duplexes) is serviced by one road in&out adjacent Redmond Elementary School. Deforestation and loss of habitat would occur almost in size of Perrigo Heights.

Though traffic safety and habitat issues came up, the two main legal issues were about tree buffering and adequate water service to the nearby neighborhoods. After much discourse the Council decided 7-0 to deny the permit and uphold the appeal of six citizens; and remand the appeal back to the Hearing Examiner to allow a second, open Public Hearing.
Six citizens appealed, led persuasively by S. Howard and J. Richardson. Public Notification deficiencies were again, a major source of dissent. The Hearing Examiner did not allow scores of citizens to appeal in writing owing to a technicality. Alert citizens purchased audio tapes of the Hearing Examiner's appeal hearing to have proof for their case. Councilwoman Kim Allen asked that a comprehensive letter be written to the Hearing Examiner advising changes in his Party of Record policy.
Problems with the City's Planned Residential Development (PRD) permit resurfaced. Citizens were very upset that a line of trees buffering their neighborhood from the development would be stripped. The trees would provide a valuable buffer from seven proposed towering new homes. Councilman Vache empathized since Mosaic Meadows project impacts his property in a similar fashion.
The developer claimed he was technically meeting city requirements for significant tree count and pervious soils by accounting for it though the parcel's "native growth easement". ("Native growth easements" is land that can't be developed because of steep slopes, ravines, streams, etc.) Thus, the developer claimed he should be allowed to strip out the neighboring buffer trees claiming them unsafe.
The neighborhood citizens countered saying their trees would not be safe with concerns for quality of life.Allen, Marchione, and Vache, offered impressive analysis and decision-making. But, Council President McCormick's hallmark statement warrants quotation.
After thanking Ms. Allen for articulating the case so well, Council President Ms. Nancy McCormick movingly stated:

"The public process may not have been violated but it was twisted. I can't keep from thinking about that couple who appeared at the Tent City public meeting and signed up to be Party of Record only to be denied on appeal to be heard.

The public needs accurate information and timeliness of an appeal, otherwise we make a mockery out of Public Hearings and caring about public involvement."
Ms. McCormick's motion to deny and uphold the appeal passed unanimously. The public is invited to review the project once again.
10/8/07 SUMMARY COMMENTS FROM TWO APPELLANTS NEIGHBORING THE PROJECT; The neighborhood appealants 'lost' to the landowner.
NEIGHBOR Ian -
The disappointing thing in my mind is that we had to put forth a very large amount of effort to secure the condition that adds this new buffer, when I feel that the city should have been the one putting that requirement into place from the beginning. Somehow the city didn’t even know that the right of way had no trees in it, even though there’s a sewer line running down it, which means they would have cleared it at some point of trees to put in that line.
Codes such as what Kirkland has in place are really the only good way to go about preserving mature trees. Even if we could have gotten the developer to leave the strip of trees along the border, I don’t think I would want them to do so, given that they’d be clearing out all the trees behind them, exposing that strip to new wind forces that could bring them down on my house. Kirkland’s codes on the other hand would have prevented the clearing of significant trees behind the strip as well, preserving the wind break and forcing developers to build around existing trees. Now, for all I know, Kirkland may also have similar development programs like the PLAT which allow developers to use different rules as long as they meet some criteria, but I know that at least the starting point for Kirkland development projects is more tree friendly than what we have here in Redmond.
However, given that we can’t protect the large trees along that strip, and that we can’t really stop the development outright, I think we’ve managed to secure the next best thing: a new buffer of trees to be planted along that boundary which meets our requirements for screening, in exchange for our support of the project going forward (no more appeals basically, and an email voicing that support to the city now that the new condition is in place).
-Ian. 10/8/07
From Steve Howard: We could never stop the developer from taking the big trees, since the city allows the tree numbers to be measured over the entire site. Or in other words it gives the developer a license to clear cut the land where they plan on putting the new houses. I would love to see a way to require that 35% of the trees must remain across the site. including the building area. The present codes and how they are read allows the developers to play a math game with our mature trees receiving no protection. This is wrong. 10/8/07

7/7/07 Mayor Ives could have partnered AND negotiated to save Perrigo Woods

7/18/07 During last night's Council meeting regarding Perrigo Heights easement, Councilwoman Kim Allen voiced concerns for the three, long 20-30 foot wide easements that had been stripped clean of all trees. The easements are for sewer, stormwater and water pipes. CAMWEST indicated that new trees would be planted on these easements. I don't think so! as I recall, common construction practices are to plant only native vegetation cover, NOT trees -- because tree roots can work their way into the pipes. Question: why didn't the Director of Public Works or the Senior Planner approach the podium to clarify Camwest's answer. If not for Councilwoman Kim Allen then the viewing public ? ??

Stormwater piping will be trenched under an ancient Snoqualmie Indian village site directly into Perrigo Creek. The stormwater will be released downstream from the wetland into Perrigo Creek. Thus, all rainwater from the forest (now the development) will be diverted away from the wetlands! With the trees stripped, sun is now "feeding" invasive plants in the wetlands. The wetlands are drying; possibly now slowing "dying". Public Works and Parks have been notified and will monitor this Priority park wetland resource.

Troubling events requiring further investigations

From Jon Spangler, Dept. of Natural Resources

BOB YODER -
Thank you for taking the time to e-mail us (and for hiking the Hartman park wetland). The City has been visually monitoring the wetland for the last several years. The dry conditions you experienced are not unusual for this time of year given the current weather patterns. The Natural Resources Division has had some preliminary consultant investigation done on the wetland in recent years and there are options to adjust local drainage patterns if conditions do deteriorate. For now we plan to continue our visual observations. Jon Spangler, Stormwater, C.O.R.
Tuesday July 3, 2007
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Thank you for your concerns and suggestions regarding the Hartman Park wetlands. In the future, we will actively monitor these wetlands for implementation of appropriate management practices to ensure their health. We will also work cooperatively with the Natural Resources Division on this situation. Please contact me if you have any further concerns or suggestions.

Dave Tuchek, Assistant Manager City of Redmond Park Operations,
MOCPK425-556-2318Fax 425-556-2373
dtuchek@redmond.gov
Monday July 9, 2007 -

6/07 - History is a gift of Perrigo Springs Woodlands

"A GIFT OF PERRIGO SPRINGS WOODLANDS" -- Bringing us back to our historical roots. The founders of our Redmond Historical Society are pictured above.
Submitted by the Redmond Historical Society, 6/07, c/o Nao Hardy.

Web Site: http://www.redmondhistory.org/
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Redmond, Washington, has become famous as the home of Microsoft and many other high technology businesses, but for more than a hundred years the town was just a small farm community near enough to Seattle to provide suburban living.

For 6000 years the valley had been home to the Squak Indians, a branch of the Duwamish and Snoqualmie tribes. The first white settlers included Luke McRedmond and Warren Wentworth Perrigo who arrived in the area in the early 1870s and took up homesteads on the rich bottom land along the Sammamish River and to the east.

In 1877 William P. Perrigo, a brother of Warren W. Perrigo, came with his wife Matilda from Maine by ship around Cape Horn and took up the claim north of his brother. By 1900 they had a family of eleven children. William P. Perrigo was the first trader in the area. He opened a headquarters in his farmhouse at Redmond and then established posts on the farms between Tolt and Novelty.

Perrigo blazed the trails between the posts. Sometimes merchandise was left for settlers by prearrangement at a point along the trail. Goods were carried to the posts by Indian ponies and at one time as many as nine ponies were employed in the traffic. Settlers from distant points and local Indians came to the posts along the Sammamish and Snoqualmie Rivers in canoes. After the coal mines were opened at Gilman, he established additional trading posts at Cottage Lake and Paradise Lake. He opened the first permanent store in Redmond in the early 1890s. William P. was a close associate of Sam Hill who organized the Washington State Good Roads Association in 1901 to which they both belonged.

William Perrigo’s homestead was what we now call Education Hill, and what is now 166th Avenue NE, the main street running north and south on Education Hill, began as William’s skid road on which horses pulled the giant timbers logged from his hill, down to Lake Sammamish.

Some of the original land settled by William Perrigo was donated for Redmond Elementary School which now is the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. William’s family also donated the land across from the Old Schoolhouse for a community church on NE 80th Street where the United Redmond Methodist Church now stands.

The little Perrigo Springs was purchased by the Redmond Water Department in 1914 and was the first water supply for the newly incorporated town of Redmond. A dam was originally constructed to impound the water for storage, with the transmission main a 4” to 8” wood stave pipe. This site was Redmond’s only water supply until 1927 and served as a major source of supply until 1962. Currently the spring is still there, trickling through a small, forested valley, past the city’s Perrigo Springs Reservoir and makes its way to Bear Creek.

There is a wide trail near the spring that goes up Education Hill. Hikers and school kids and the curious use this trail. A mile to the east the large Perrigo Community Park is being developed.

06/07 - Pristine Perrigo Springs Dedication

The small willow on the right commemorates Perrigo Springs, Redmond's first water source used by Indians and early Redmond pioneers.

The Historical marker and willow were dedicated by the Snoqualmie Falls Daughters of the American Colonists in 2004.

The above picture depicts the Perrigo Springs memorial as of last week. A few months ago, rock and debris was dumped on the the historical marker, tree and springs by a Public Works contractor. This was probably an unintentional consequence from nearby construction on a water tower. After several calls to the city the Public Works Dept. says they are looking for the vendor responsible for the damage.

UPDATE 1)They found the contractor and according to the Director of Public Works Bill Campbell, the rock pile and debris will be removed in 2-4 weeks,

6/26. UPDATE 2) the rock pile was raked into the surrounding ground and heavy, rusty pipe couplings were dumped next to the willow!
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The Springs can be found by walking from NE 100th St. terminus (on Education Hill) on the Perrigo Trail towards Avondale. It's at the base of CAMWEST DEVELOPMENT, INC. steep-slope sewer line.

So far, the Springs remain pristine, though citizens are monitoring the wetlands and creek water feeding the spring owing to Perrigo Heights construction impacts.

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Submitted by:  Nao Hardy, Founder of the "Redmond Historical Society" 6/07

"The little Perrigo Springs was purchased by the Redmond Water Department in 1914 and was the first water supply for the newly incorporated town of Redmond. A dam was originally constructed to impound the water for storage, with the transmission main a 4” to 8” wood stave pipe. This site was Redmond’s only water supply until 1927 and served as a major source of supply until 1962. Currently the spring is still there, trickling through a small, forested valley, past the city’s Perrigo Springs Reservoir and makes its way to Bear Creek. There is a wide trail near the spring that goes up Education Hill. Hikers and school kids and the curious use this trail. A mile to the east the large Perrigo Community Park is being developed."

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Letter to Tom Fix, City of Redmond, re: Dedication, 5/29/04

Went exploring this weekend, and we now have a rock from Perrigo Springs in our archives. Hope I'm forgiven for this because I did take a river rock, not one brought in from off-site. I followed the creek back to where it was oozing from ground. To judge by rock-lined stream bed, it must've been fairly good sized waterway once. Got some great pictures. Away from the roadway, it's another world. 

Pedestal signage on south bank would probably work well. Or bronze plaque mounted on large stone. Should DAC honor it, parks could spiff up immediate area slightly with bench and garage can! There wasn't much trash, but seeing even a few items in the little waterway was distressing. It does give me pause about publicity for the site, although I saw a surprising number of other people on the trail.

I wonder how a cross-section of old wooden water pipe could also be displayed with interpretive signage. Maybe this is best done on a wall in the old schoolhouse.

Arlyn Vallene whose farm was just below springs, told me how her family worried that building the dam would mean they'd have fish in their drinking water.

 --Nao Hardy, submitted 6/07
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I include this for Arlyn Vallene's anecdote re fish. think I told you that the "road" paralleling springs was called Frog Farm Road. there was even a sign on post with that name. all I really have is the two othere's I sent you tonight. if u wanta get some info from Arlyn, her contact info is below. she volunteers in our office every Thursday - faithfully. I recall her saying someone[s] on the hill above her came to Arlyn's farmhouse to bath as they didn't have running water on the hill until early 1950s when they were annexed.

--Nao Hardy, 6/07

6/17/07 Councilmember Marchione responds to Perrigo Heights development

From: John Marchione
To: Bob Yoder ; Jim Robinson
Cc: MayorCouncil
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 3:50 PM
Subject: RE: Perrigo Heights has been cleared

Dear Mr. Yoder, I am responding as Ombudsman (Council spokesman) for the month of June. As you know, Perrigo Heights has been an emotionally charged issue for a few years. Many neighbors requested the City purchase all of the land and preserve it as a park. The City did purchase a portion of the land to buffer the trail that runs up 99th street. This reduced the plat from about 36 homes to about 24. The Parks Board and the City Council have been aware of your request for the City to purchase the land. In general, the land was considered very expensive and Education Hill is served by more parks than any other neighborhood in Redmond. Forbidding development was not an option. A property owners retains his rights to build with in the community standards. This issue has been discussed with community input in previous years.

Sincerely,
John Marchione

OMBUDSMAN for Redmond City Council