There's No Stopping Growth In Redmond

There's no stopping growth in Redmond / credit Bob Yoder

A view from Mr. Nelson's downtown "Redmond Center" parking lot. The red crane is constructing his "The Charles." building.  (Apparently, several members in Mr. Nelson's extended family carry the name "Charles.")  When finished, the structure will reach 8-stories, have 244 residential units, 4,920 sf of live work space, and 4,316 sf of retail.  

The Charles is the first project of a 22-acre Urban Village he plans for our downtown.  In part, it will encompass land along the Sammamish River, the Opportunity Building (OB), a large parcel adjacent to OB, the Redmond Center, and the parking lot behind QFC.  

The Nelson Legacy Group (NLG) has been family-owned since the early 1950s. NLG operates retail and office properties located in Redmond, Kirkland and eastern Washington, conducting leasing, developing and property acquisition from offices in Redmond.  

Two other significant Urban Villages in Overlake are approved.  One of the villages is 14 acres including the demolition of Sears.    

-- Bob Yoder, 2/5/2024

Sources:  Design Review Board Memorandum, 4/15/2020; Carol Helland, Director Planning & Community Development; Thomas L. Markel, NLG; CLARK BARNES "NLG Project One Design Review," 12/03/2020    

REDMOND BLOG EDITORIAL: Carol Helland, Redmond's Urban Planner Extraordinaire

 

Carol Helland, Director of Planning & Community Development 

The complexity and demands of  Director Helland's job don't compare to Directors of the past. Should the Mayor hire a Deputy of Planning Services?

From observations, I believe Carol Helland, the city's Director of Planning & Community Development is the most influential government executive in Redmond. She oversees land use permitting, is Administrator of the Technical Committee, of Public Notice, Code Administrator, oversees the Design Review Board, and director of Human Services among other high level responsibilities. 

Mayor Birney and Council rely heavily on Helland for her understanding of Washington's Growth Management recommendations and requirements. Her flexible use of building codes shape the form, function and character of downtown Redmond, Overlake Urban Center and our gentrifying neighborhoods. Carol negotiates Development agreements with the Mayor and co-approves project permits with Public Works. (A 22-acre Development agreement for NELSON Legacy's downtown Village was inked; RTC is on deck with others to come.)  

Director Helland recently hired Seraphie Allen as Deputy Director of Planning & Community Development.  Already, Deputy Allen's job responsibilities are to communicate with OneRedmond, work with Director Helland's Redmond 2050 Long Range Planning Team, and guide the Mayor's Planning Commission volunteers.  These roles have the ring of a new title, perhaps "deputy director of community development."

The complexity and demands of Ms. Helland's job don't compare to Directors of the past.  Though outside the HR box, the Mayor might possibly assign a second Deputy Director, one for "Planning services" the other for "Community development?"  Ms. Helland is Redmond's Urban Planner extraordinaire and needs all the help she can get. Once Mayor Birney actively teams up with Helland, fewer mistakes will be made and we'll have a more livable Redmond. 

For answers on how you can make Redmond a better community, email Heather at: info@redmond.gov. She's the city's Customer Experience Coordinator and an excellent resource.  Her phone is 425-556-2900.   

Let's make Redmond better together.

-- Bob Yoder

   Editor, Reporter and Scribbler, Redmond Neighborhood Blog    

   1/21/2023

For the Director Helland's job description....

Redmond 2050 -Sharing What We Heard About Housing

· The community acknowledges the nexus between different housing types and housing affordability and was curious about the aesthetics of different typologies.  

· The community sentiment is to encourage flexibility in “missing middle” (middle class) housing types across the City. However, the community is almost evenly split on whether existing neighborhood-specific policies that restrict “missing middle” should be kept or removed.

 · Questionnaire Comments on Missing Middle:

 o “I do not want to see low income housing in my neighborhood. This would lower property values and impact my ability to resell the home that I've worked hard to own. Should my tax dollar go to help someone else buy a home? No.”

OR

 o “Allowing density is our local way to help fight climate change and increase housing affordability. Allowing the free market to develop duplexes and triplexes is one of the best ways to do this, with minimal negative impact to quality of life. I wonder how Kirkland has promoted subdividing properties and building new modern housing

What do you think?  Email: council@redmond.gov.

What wasn't discussed by the City is a free market plan to develop 22 downtown acres into an "Urban Village."

--Council memo, Redmond Neighborhood Blog report, 9/21/2021

Downtown Redmond light rail station will be elevated

The City Council recommended that the Downtown Redmond light rail station be located between 164th Ave NE and 166th Ave NE (the east location) near RTC and that it be elevated as per Concept 3. The Council emphasized safety, mobility, and a direct and uninterrupted Redmond Central Connector as key reasons for recommending Concept 3. The station is scheduled for completion by 2025.

Source:  redmond.gov  

UPDATED: City of Redmond Appoints Interim Planning Director

Redmond, WA – Redmond Mayor John Marchione has announced the appointment of Erika Vandenbrande as the interim Planning Director, due to Karen Anderson’s resignation in late March.

Erica Vandendbrand

Vandenbrande started with the City of Redmond in 2001 and currently serves as the Deputy City Administrator. She will continue operating in both positions until a new Planning Director is hired. Vandenbrande has held various management positions in her seventeen years with the city including Transportation Demand Management Manager and Economic Development Manager. Before joining the City of Redmond, Vandenbrande held planning roles at the US Environmental Protection Agency and South Coast Air Quality Management District. She was also a manager at Southern California Association of Governments where she was responsible for developing the local government portion of the regional Air Quality Management Plan.

Erica's extensive knowledge and understanding of city planning projects in addition to her passion for the Redmond community make her an ideal fit for the interim Planning Director, stated Mayor John Marchione.  We re in the process of conducting a national search.

Vandenbrande is a graduate of the University of Rochester with a Master of Public Policy Analysis and a Bachelor degree in Geology.

It is interesting to note the Mayor appointed Parks and Human Services Director Maxine Whattam as interim Planning and Public Works Director due to Linda DeBolt's apparent resignation in February. Ms. Whattan now has a duel role.  Mr. White is running the Public Works operations. (Over the years he's presented to council on Redmond water.) The Redmond Natural Resource Manager oversees 30 employees many of them involved with the management of the city aquifer, including Redmond's geologist.  In my opinion, the Planning and Development Director (Karen Anderson) and Planning and Public Works shake up might be attributed to development problems associated with the aquifer. 

B. Yoder