"Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"

View from my front door, 8 inches -- Ed Hill

2/4/2019

Fall colors

Fall colors

My wife, Pam, is standing in front of our beautiful Palmataum Japanese maple tree. With great sadness we lost this cherished tree two years ago to severe back-to-back annual droughts.  It thrived on our property for 43 years. Other's in the neighborhoods lost their trees. The City also had to cut down some of their street trees and cottonwoods at Idylwood Park owing to drought.   

Bob Yoder

Pileated Woodpecker forages on apple in Education Hill

This Pileated Woodpecker was foraging on an apple in the backyard of a neighbor next to the Shaunhaessy
 Heights development on south Education Hill.  This uncommon bird is rarely seen in Redmond anymore.
Photo By KIM CASHON-SMITH, 11/2/2012

OPINION: Avodale Crest Development on 104th Approved by City - A Neighborhood Traffic Hazard



The sight distance downhill is only 209 feet - far too little for drivers heading downhill to have time to stop.  That's why they had the no left turn provision in the first place.  It was the City of Redmond, not the developer, that pushed for the left turns into and out of the development.

UPDATED:   Avondale Crest Development was approved by the City on October 5 and is currently under appeal by Susan Wilkins. 

DEVELOPMENT IS A SERIOUS DANGER TO DRIVERS ON EDUCATION HILL

No access from Avondale Road

By Susan Wilkins

Education Hill, Redmond

OPINION:  When the Avondale Crest housing development was first proposed in 2005, the City of Redmond told the developer that access to the site had to be along NE 104^th Street even though the 2.85-acre property also bordered Avondale Road. (RCDG 20D.210.20-080*) The slope of the hillside created blind spots for drivers along NE 104^th Street so the original plan prohibited traffic coming down the hill from stopping and turning left into the new development. It also allowed only right turns for cars leaving the development – no left turns out of the development were allowed. (See the attached site map.) Even with the turning restrictions, more than 25 residents wrote to the city expressing concern and even alarm at the proposed site entrance because it was in a blind spot on the hill.

(Note: When a housing development is created from a larger lot or group of lots, there are two parts: the PLAT and the PRD (Planned Residential Development). The PLAT subdivides the land into smaller residential lots with the necessary street(s) and lot boundary lines. The PRD defines the requirements within the new neighborhood including house sizes, sewer lines, street lights, tree retention, open space requirements, etc. Plats and PRDs are usually designed and developed simultaneously and depend on each other - as was the case with Avondale Crest.)

When the Avondale Crest PLAT was issued on October 17, 2006, it required the installation of a fixed radar system on eastbound NE 104^th Street and it also required a Stopping Sight Distance of 450 feet along NE 104^th Street meaning that cars traveling down the hill should be able to see the entrance to Avondale Crest from 450 feet uphill. The restriction on left turns into and out of the development had disappeared.

I appealed the Plat and a hearing was held on December 11, 2006. I presented photos showing that it was impossible to see cars turning into the Avondale Crest development from 400 feet uphill because the road bends while dropping vertically. I argued that the lack of visibility of cars stopped down-slope on NE 104^th Street would create a dangerous rear-end collision hazard. The traffic engineer and the planner for the City argued that because the fixed radar system would be installed to slow cars down to 25 mph, the 450-foot sight distance had been mitigated. The Hearing examiner sided with the City and approved the PRD and denied my PLAT appeal. I appealed to the City Council asking that the restriction on the NO LEFT TURN INTO AND OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT be reinstated. Redmond City Council declined to add that requirement although they left open the possibility of requiring it later.

The fixed radar system was installed in early 2012 and data recorded by the system shows that fewer than 25% of cars are traveling along at the posted speed limit of 25 mph and more than 5% travel at least 10 miles over the speed limit. The data also shows that the number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit has steadily increased indicating that almost all drivers have started to ignore the fixed radar system altogether. I have often driven behind cars that the system recorded at 40+ mph - which is too fast to stop for turning traffic at Avondale Crest.

The Avondale Crest Plat that was approved in 2007 finally expired this past spring (after the City had granted multiple extensions.) Prime Pacific Bank that acquired the property when the developer went bankrupt decided that they would act as a developer and reapplied for plat approval. Instead of re-evaluating the project with the new data from the fixed radar system – and requiring that the developer add turning restrictions on NE 104^th Street, the City instead approved the plat. The previous 450-foot stopping sight distance from the Redmond Municipal Code was no longer used and instead the planning staff used a new sight distance calculation from the new Redmond Zoning Code that seems to have far shorter sight distances and stopping requirements.

We now have a fixed radar system that actually tells us that cars are going too fast down NE 104^th Street to stop for turning traffic at the proposed Avondale Crest intersection. It is obvious in 2006 when the project was originally approved that the entrance to the development was difficult to see and extremely dangerous. The proposed intersection is currently marked with orange tape and chalk. Can you see the entrance when you drive down the hill? Will you be able to stop for turning cars or crossing pedestrians? Are you afraid that you’ll be in an accident at this intersection? I am.

What should be done? The Redmond City Council should vote to amend the Avondale Crest PRD – an amendment that they specifically agreed to consider in the future when they approved the PRD. They should do it now.

-------

*During the past decade, the City of Redmond has allowed 3 other corner developments (PCC Market, Fairwinds Retirement Center and Aegis Living) to have direct access onto Avondale Road so it’s not clear why Avondale Crest was not allowed to have an exit and entrance onto Avondale, especially considering the acute danger presented by the sight distance limitations on the steep hill.

"Avondale Crest" subdivision on hilly 104th gets another life

As you drive down to the bottom of NE 104th Street near Avondale Road, just past Abbott and Laura's neighborhood garden you may notice that the Avondale Crest short plat land use project is up for review once again!   Nine single family homes are planned (2700 - 4000 sf) on lots ranging from 4000 to 9000 sf.  

According to Redmond resident, Susan Wilkins, "the original 2005 Avondale Crest project expired in March 2012 so Prime Pacific Bank appealed to the City Hearing Examiner in August to reinstate the project."   

Ms. Wilkins appealed the original project a few years back owing to dangerous egress and ingress at the curved, hilly NE 104th entrance to the project.  She is warning the city now that, "104th is routinely closed by snow so residents will be stuck for days if they don't have direct access to Avondale."    

The plat, once called Avondale Villas, was earlier approved for only eight single family homes; it's been upped to nine under the new proposal.  The project road off of 104th rests on a steep slope and second geologic hazard report is required; as is a noise study.  A new traffic study isn't required. 

The original land use was revised to require a speed-feedback radar sign  to slow traffic coming down windy, hilly 104th.  According to a city traffic manager, the developer had to pay a portion of the installation cost.  The radar sign was installed earlier this year - proactively?   

It's too late to formally comment on the new project but the City Planner Thara Johnson welcomes comments or questions on the appeal process.  Her email is:  tmjohnson@redmond.gov.  Phone:  425-556-2470.   

Reported By Bob Yoder

Abbott and Laura's Neighborhood Garden

By Abbott Smith

Redmond, WA.

Following cottage garden traditions, we call our home and garden The Caffeinated Gopher. The moniker comes from the fact that my wife and I tend to dig more dirt in a season than a pair of caffeinated gophers.

The garden is mostly the work of my wife, Laura. As you mentioned she works for Molbak's. She is a Certified Professional Horticulturalist. My role is periodic manual labor and design input. If you must use one of our names, by rights it should be called Laura's garden.

Our garden, like all gardens, is a work in progress. Each year we tweak and adjust. This season we took advantage of the city removing the tree and leaving a manufactured snag to open up the area along the southeast corner of the garden. We've added some new trails through the heart of the Southern border and limbed up an number of the evergreens so that we can bring in some more perennials and deciduous ornamentals.  Read More >>

Senior Home Care business on Ed Hill is remodeled and taking new clients

This senior care home near RJH is remodeled and open for business

Education Hill neighbors traveling NE 100th Street last week may have seen a burst of activity as Choice Care completed  their "Redmond's Own Adult Family Home"  renovation.  Construction contractor Christrian Porta of Choice Care raised the American flag as he declared the home "open for business."   It's right across from the Redmond Presbyterian Church gateway sign on NE 166th Ave.

The home is owned and operated by Dave Saint (CNA) a 30-year Redmond resident living on Union Hill.   Dave's sister is a nurse and brother-in-law an oncologist at Overlake. 

Christian looks toward the living area w/ flat panel, dining area and new outdoor patio.

The licences hanging near the kitchen pantry area show the business has been running since 2007.  The same rules apply and same clients are welcome, as before.  The only difference?  Choice is partnered to renovate and re-brand the business into a quality home for:   private-paying seniors 62+  needing Assisted Living and Medicare patients who have been hospitalized. 

Christian says, "the daily cost for home care (not counting meds.) is $150/day vs. $300/day in an institutional nursing home.  Smaller senior homes are more accountable and personal."   Award-winning Seattle Times coverage of nursing homes addressed terrible abuses by institutional providers.  Residential senior homes like this offer the neighborhood ambiance of a lawn mow, passing school children and ping of a bat. 

If you have a neighbor or know a family that needs the support from this senior home, Christian recommended you call him directly at  206-551-5450.  He lives in a family of nurses and knows every nook and cranny of the business.  Or, call Simona Saint at 206-250-1100.  Better yet?  just knock on their door.

Report and photos by Yoder
I-phone

Running With Dogs on the Power Line Trail

Richard holding Sadie (2008)

Republished in memory of Richard's dog, Sadie -- 

For the past year or so, I have been running daily with two Australian Shepherds. I have been taking care of my daugther's dog, Scooby, while she is living in the U.K. It is a learning experience for me to watch these herding dogs in action, trying their best to round up squirrels and rabbits that happen to cross our path. These are hard working dogs and love to punch a time clock. Typically, we start out around 7:00 AM, and if possible again at 5:00PM. These hard working dogs mostly sleep all day, but they keep a watch at my living room window. They let me know if any thing unusual happens to walk into our front yard. They have excellent eye sight, and a healthy bark to warn me of any out-of-the-ordinary visitors. Mostly, they know the sound of my car, and of my wife's truck, and stay quiet when we pull into our drive way. Read More >>

Herons and Dogs?

 

Nesting herons / KIM CASHON-SMITH

 
Herons and Dogs?

Kim Cashon-Smith lives on Education Hill.  This Spring she took a rare photo of herons nesting in a tree at Marymoor Dog Park  Do you see the chicks?  The mama and papa?  Double-click-pic for help. 

They're Great Blue Herons.  The city says "Great Blues" are our most important bird.  They used to nest in the evergreens across from Saturday Market.  A few years ago crows and eagles scared them away. 

They moved their homes to Issaquah.  And now they're back.  Do you think they'll stay?

Herons and dogs?

What do you say!


xxxx
Live video of Great Blue Herons feeding their chicks, Cornell University’s Sapsucker Woods Pond 

166th Ave. repair and restoration scheduled for Spring

NE 166th Ave near Redmond Way

 From the desk of Micheal Haley, P.E., Senior Project Manager, Public Works..

February 22, 2012

"The Downtown Stormwater Trunk project contractor is actively installing new stormwater pipe on 166th Ave NE and at 170th Ave NE and Avondale Way. The work is occurring at night and that may explain why you have not observed much activity of late.

Much of the restoration and repair will involve "a pavement grind" and overlay of the asphalt roadway damaged by installation."  Read More >>

According to Mr Haley, installation of stormwater pipeline along 170th Ave. is scheduled for completion before 166th Ave.  "The current schedule shows that we will complete restoration and repair of 166th Ave. NE this early spring  after all the new stormwater pipe has been installed."

Haley says this sort of restoration and road repair activity is "the last major item of work for the contractor and is somewhat weather dependent. These factors make it difficult to predict the exact date of the repair to 166th Ave NE but rest assured the repair will be accomplished before the project is complete."

Michael Haley, P.E.
mhaley@redmond.gov

Comment:    ROAD GRINDING IS UNDERWAY, 4/26/12.  I'm not sure why completing the less traveled 170th Ave. takes precedence over 166th Ave. our primary arteriole to Education Hill and North Redmond. B.Y.  Comment? 

My experience and opinion of Redmond's "Neighborhood Budgeting Forum," By Paige Norman

Paige Norman

My experience and opinion of the City's  "Budgeting by Priorities"   Neighborhood Forum for Education Hill residents.

By Paige Norman
Education Hill Neighborhood

Irritated with the way our City government is run? Do you like the services and benefits our city has to offer? Let our City know!

On March 2, I attended one of the city’s “Budget By Priorities” neighborhood meetings held at Redmond City Hall, in the Bytes Café. Here’s how it works and what I think about it:  Read More >>

LETTER: Education Hill Shooting - What can we do?

The city is hosting a neighborhood meeting on Thursday evening, March 1, 6:30 p.m., Redmond City Hall.  Your questions and needs for public safety funding will be addressed.  425-556-2415

Paige with grandchildren

LETTER:  I live in what used to be a quiet family neighborhood. Kids played in the street, parents walked their kids to school, walked their dogs, chatted on street corners and waved hello as they passed. We knew the cars that belonged and the cars that didn’t. We watched out for neighbors and strangers and each other.

All those things still happen on a daily basis around here: kids and parents slide down a hill during snow storms, neighbors take each other dinner or call to check in, strange cars are noted, unknown faces are searched and memorized. But there’s an edge to all of it now. Our innocence has been lost, thrown away, departed.

Our quiet family street with children and pets and an occasional coyote or raccoon has transformed into an ongoing episode of COPS: Redmond. Car prowls and thefts; speeding cars with loud engines and louder music at all hours of the day and night, Police and aid cars at least once a month, and now, a gunshot and a fatality in our once peaceful neighborhood. Lives and peace and trust and families shattered.

A non-resident owner, underage inhabitants and visitors and questionable activities have taken place months, even years now. Neighbors have called regarding thefts, car break-ins and suspicious activities. What can we do?  Read More >>

UPDATED: Education Hill shooting update: Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, CSI, Redmond police scouring crime scene

 The crime scene is taped off - CSI agent with crime box resting on sedan -
 police and CSI investigate front door area

This case is closed.  A gun was fired by accident, the bullet went through a wall and hit a person in another room.  9/2012

Photo was taken around 1:50PM this afternoon (2/12).  Redmond Police Lt. Charles Gorman  was fielding questions from about 3-4 TV crews.  Helicopters flying by.   Gorman said " about 10 people were gathering or partying," allegedly last night and into the morning.  A "person of interest" has been interviewed by detectives

Lots of cars are parked on the road with groups of neighbors watching the State Patrol Crime lab, CSI, and Redmond Police comb the site.  The front yard was littered with broken evergreen tree branches from January storm. I'll visit the scene later today to post a video clip and publish additional news.

Neighborhood Map:  http://g.co/maps/w5g3a
Curb address:  16804 NE 97th Street


Read neighbor comment posted below this story...

By Bob Yoder
Photo,  Yoder

UPDATED: Councilmember Pat Vache' responds to neighborhood tree hazard

Sidewalk roped off from a tree hanging on wires

UPDATED:  In late January, mothers walked their children down this hill to school, many unaware of the blue spruce leaning over their heads, balanced on utility lines.

Yes, the third wave of our January snow, ice and rain storm was hard on neighborhoods.  It took four days to close this sidewalk on Education Hill and seven days to remove the tree hazard.  Fortunately, neighbors pressed; and no one was hurt.

City and utility companies were slow to respond, despite the imminent danger.   Various distraught neighbors called 911, the mayor's office and utility companies.  Public Works identified the wires as "harmless phone lines" owned by Comcast saying, "it is their responsibility to remove the tree."   Two Pubic Works employees and a police officer looked it over and "walked on," according to an Education Hill resident, John.
 

 Frustrated and upset, John emailed city councilman and Ombudsman Pat Vache' on January 31,   John wrote Pat, "I cannot believe how hard it's been to get Redmond's attention on this."  (John had called 911 twice, PSE and several neighbors on January 27.)  Another neighbor called Comcast and walked them to the site.  The tree was finally removed February 2 after city Ombudsman-of-the-month Pat Vache' stepped in and had the sidewalk barriers installed.  Mr. Vache' went out of his way to help us.  Read More >>

Urban Coyote with prize squirrel

KIM / Urban Coyote with Squirrel

"Guess everyone deserves a good breakfast...that's when this took place...he returned later to blink at us....ha."

 --Kim,  Education Hill residential neighborhood, South-end

Photo by Kim, 1/18/2012

Winter Wonderland Ride on Education Hill -- 10 sec clip

- captured after 2009 storm
Video by Bob Yoder

Brief History of Patsy Rosenbach - Redmond native and 1958 Lake Washington H.S. Grad

 1955 - Football Crowd and Cheer leaders at LWHS/Credit Historical Society

An abbreviated history of the life of Patsy Rosenbach, Redmond native and Lake Washington High School graduate, class of '58.

I grew up on "Education Hill" before it was Education Hill. It was a dirt road that had huge washouts annually.  It's NE 166th AV. NE, but back then 3rd Avenue.  Redmond continues to have my loyalty. I have never lived farther than 10 miles away. I truly enjoy the fellowship at our annual “Golden Grads Reunions” of Lake Washington High School (LWHS), my alma mater. We just had our 2011 Golden Grad Reunion last month.  (Read More about it below!)  In my school days, LWHS housed students from Redmond, Kirkland, and Juanita.

A little family history: I'm the youngest graduate in my class of ‘58. I learned how to read, spell, and do arithmetic before I entered school and graduated at 16. My dad was blind and an invalid, but he taught me and my older sister before we entered school. Our older brother suffered a severe reaction to a small pox vaccination as a youngster, and had to have his books sent home with him to continue his studies.

I went to the first grade, as there was no kindergarten offered that year (the taxpayers had to vote it in and they declined that year). Three weeks later I was sent to a combined first and second grade room with Mrs. Shobert.

What did Redmond look like? Nothing like today! Read More >>

90- year old driver hops curb injuring two people

Three injured when car drives into foot spa Redmond, WA –

Three people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries this afternoon after a Cadillac CTS drove into Sunshine Foot Spa at the 16800 block of Redmond Way shortly after 1:30 p.m. 

The driver, a 90 year old male from Redmond, hopped a curb and continued into the building, through the receptionist area, and came to a complete stop 55 feet into the business, inches away from another employee. 

The driver, one employee, and one patron were all transported to the hospital with minor injuries.  Major damage was done inside the business.The driver was arrested for reckless driving and suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription drugs.

By Jim Bove
Community outreach and Public Information Officer
Website photo

Comment:  Reading this makes me think twice about walking on a sidewalk.  Would walking against the grain of traffic help?  Should the city do a better job buffering our sidewalks from our busy roads, like 166th Ave?   B.Y. 

Carpool Parking incentives given to Redmond High junior and seniors

STUDENT CARPOOL PARKING.

"Redmond High School now has student carpool parking. These are the best student parking spots on campus AND carpools are guaranteed a space. Seniors and juniors are eligible to park in carpool parking. See Mr. Handschin for rules concerning carpool parking and the blue carpool form."
  --Mustang Weekly.

COMMENT:  This is a big breakthrough!  "Carpool Parking" incentives at Redmond High School are a significant advancement towards mitigating traffic congestion on nearby roads.  In addition, carpooling is "green" and mitigates the school's carbon footprint.

If Carpool Parking incentives aren't available at your high school make a request to Jeff Miles in Transportation at the Lake Washington School District.   Phone:  425-936-1120.

Opinion By Bob Yoder
Internet photo

LETTER: Commercial development in our neighborhoods? Enough is Enough.

LETTER:  "The Planning commission writes, "We certainly understand the need to keep residential development and rendering plants separate, but do not see the immediate incompatibility of a corner coffee shop, produce store or bakery with the needs of residents who might walk to such an establishment." This kind of "planning" seems very out of touch with reality. The reality is that development in each zone is largely complete. We already have plenty of coffee shops, produce stores, and bakery shops in Redmond. We folks moved out to the suburbs (Redmond) and fell into the State Growth Management Act (1990). A tension was established that pits constant development with a desire for open space, and quality of life. Enough is enough. Let us live in peace, without commercial development in our neighborhoods."

By Richard Morris

Education Hill

This opinion is an excerpted, signed comment written under the post about 'Two planning commissioners Minority report on micro-level neighborhood commercial.'   Your Letters and Opinions are welcome.  Please send them by comment or to my email.   Include your name if you are comfortable doing so.  B.Y.