REDMOND, WA - For the first time, the City of Redmond is launching a free tree giveaway to help grow the City’s urban forest and reach the goal of 40% tree canopy cover by 2050, as supported by the Tree Canopy Strategic Plan, Redmond 2050, and the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan.
“From enhancing the richness of life in Redmond and improving our health to protecting our streams and hillsides from erosion, trees provide countless benefits to our community,” said Redmond Mayor Angela Birney. “Trees are also an essential part of our City’s commitment to improve environmental sustainability and mitigate the impacts of climate change.”
Through this new event, Redmond is giving away 500 trees to Redmond residents, groups, and organizations, such as schools, faith organizations, nonprofits, HOAs, and small businesses with fewer than 25 employees within Redmond city limits. Educational materials will be provided to help participants choose, plant, and care for their trees.
The giveaway application is now open. A completed application is required before picking up a tree, as quantities are limited. The giveaway will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at the Redmond Municipal Campus.
Volunteer opportunities are available. For those who want to join the fun but don’t have a space to plant a tree of their own, there will be a community planting event with Green Redmond in October.
To learn more and apply, visit redmond.gov/TreeGiveaway. For questions about the tree giveaway, contact guestservices@redmond.gov.
Plans referenced above:
I really liked Deputy Park Director Dave Tuchek's presentation last night: His naturalized meadow growing efforts will develop this Priority habitat! His short explanation and education of pollinators was really interesting and brought things into a worldly perspective. Amazing in-house construction and design of the Anderson Community Gardens! And, Redmond wild flower seed packets to boot. ☝
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| Cottages in Kirkland / photo Master Builders After removal, replacement trees must be planted on and *off-site. |
OPINION: The city has not updated their tree regulations in over 26 years. They are procrastinating to accomodate much-needed housing. The removed trees are replaced with saplings but at numbers that can't reach Redmond's 40% canopy goal. Off-site planting sites for replacement trees should be identified by Parks, Planning and Public Works to broaden canopy cover. The replacement trees are supplied by the developer and installations financed with one-time money and CIP funds.
*Suggested off-site planting sites: Parks, trails, Keller Farm (forested) wetland tree mitigation bank, streets, sidewalks and by-ways, urban growth easements, Light rail stations, M&O Center and other large city projects, the Heron Rookery and western open space, schools, "plant a tree" neighbohood programs, Hartman forested wetlands, Green Redmond, RTC open space, mouth of Bear Creek, and more.
According to the Master Builders Association "A good tree code responsibly maintains or grows the level of tree coverage in a city while also allowing much-needed housing for current residents. newcomers and future generations."
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| I've lived in Redmond 44 years and have witnessed the severe tree loss. Fortunately, neighborhoods like Education Hill and Grasslawn have retained most of their character. Loss in the urban centers and outlying developments is severe. - Yoder |
City Tree Mitigation Update, 2025:
The City will remove, top or limb ~ 271 trees by late 2025 with more to come in 2026.
BACKGROUND: In 2023 the city assesseed 18,000 city-owned trees for health in parks, right of ways, open spaces, and street trees, to ensure public safety while preserving our urban forest. The assessment focused on trees that were 12” or greater in trunk diameter [significant and landmark trees] located within striking distance of a target, near streets, parking spaces, buildings, or structures.
In 2024 the 35 the city's highest priority trees were mitigated for health risks. Council Presisident Kritzer was unhappy when she heard of this and planned to look at them before they were cut.
David Tuchek, a Deputy Parks Director said about a third of the trees would be removed, a third would be topped into snags for wildlife habitat, and a third would be limbed or pruned. After hearing Tuchek's report, Council President Kritzer reneged stating the mitigation plan was a good for the city and wildlife habitat.
In 2025, the city will focus on the next 50-60 highest priority trees with additional funding for mitigation in 2026. That's a total of ~ 271 trees that will be mitigated (removed, topped, limbed, pruned) by 2025 with more to come in 2026. After a query by CM Fields the Parks Director listed several projects in place like Green Redmond for planting tree replacements.
-- 3/25/25 Council Committee of the Whole, Parks & Human Services
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| Massive cherry tree specimen |
A view from my desk to our backyard cherry tree. You can't see, but it's a grouping of 2 landmark trees and 2 others (cabled) reaching over our fence. Can you find the bird house we nailed to the trunk years ago without use of a ladder? Yes, it's grown tremendously in our 36 years here. All kinds of wildlife live in this tree, including racoon families. On the downside, it's a garbagy tree. In the Spring, faint blossoms and copious pollen falls on our windshields for weeks, then in the summer and Fall a multitude of sepals, inedible cherries and leaves must be swept from the patio. Though this monster is my "therapy tree," I'll be glad to leave it behind when I move out of Redmond this year.
-- Bob Yoder, 1/25/2025
For personal reasons, I'm taking a break from this blog. I may be back in several weeks or so. [Most of the "Popular Posts" on the sidebar are dated.]
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| 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.
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| Heritage Red Oak Tree in apparent distress during Senior Center construction. (click to enlarge) |
After a Vision Redmond 2050 meeting last night I joined Pam for some awesome "Hey Jude dancing" to the "Beatnicks." It was Rockn' on the River time!
The Senior & Community building construction was nearby so we checked it out. We first noticed the Heritage Red Oak Tree. Not to alarm, but I'm concerned for its health. Notice the mound of earth piled within the dripline root zone. The roots are clearly disturbed. Near the trunk a subsurface cement box is dug-out. Does the right side of the tree look somewhat shriveled/limp to you? Why is the invasive work done in the heat of the summer?
Worries out of the way, we then rushed to see if Council kept Red Oak 161. Yes, they did! All three landmark Red Oaks are standing tall. Three other good sized trees remain nearby.
At a Council meeting (7/26) the Parks Director reported concerns that removing the tree will increase impervious surfaces in the shoreline buffer. In my opinion, pervious asphalt should be installed on the Center walkways within the shoreline buffer. Yes, it's expensive but if the city can install pervious asphalt on the entire Phase II Central Trail Connector they can certainly afford it on the State shoreline buffer.
It was nice to see the white detention tanks for treating runoff. They looked new, state of the art, and clean. Only the best for the Sammamish River!
After Rockn' on the River was over we ran into Marty Boggs, Senior Center Administrator; he noted something extraordinary. There wasn't a shred of litter on the lawns! Said Marty, "It's like this every year, Redmond is a special place"
-- Bob Yoder, opinion, 8/12/2022
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| Grand Peking Restaurant and *Aqua Quip buildings will be demolished. |
Project One is eight stories, 244 mixed use multi-family units, 4316 s.f. commercial, 221 parking spaces (21 spaces are free for commercial/retail use within the building. Minimum 25 affordable units (meets code.)
The "Project One" building is highly visible. It will be even more visible with city approval of an extra story.
A one story bonus (making eight stories) was granted by the city for provisions of 20 percent on-site usable open space in the form of plazas, arcades with water features that are accessible to the public during extended business hours.
(The applicant is going above and beyond the city requirement of 12,180 sf for open space in providing 22,700 sf of open space.)
Boundaries: Adjacent to the Downtown Park, Chevron gas station and Jimmy Johns to the west, Redmond Way to the South. On the east Aqua-Quip, Grand Peking Restaurant, and Dark Horse Brew will be demolished. 1.4 acres. 80052 -161 Av. NE.
Sources: Design Development Review memo, 11/6/2020 Clark Barnes, NLG Design Review Board
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| double click to enlarge This permanent urban food truck rests on the Project One site. The owner plans to move to a different downtown Redmond location. Police and construction workers frequent the eatery. It's the only "permanent" food truck in Redmond. * Aqua Quip is moving to a larger facility in Woodinville. -- Opinion: Bob Yoder, Photos Yoder, 9/5/2021 |
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| Attractive "Red Oak Community Center" signage may complement the building's wood design. UPDATE: On 8/16/2022, Council named the building "Senior & Community Center" 4-1 (Anderson) Video Tour |
Throughout community engagement, community members expressed during the design process that the name “Redmond Senior & Community Center” implied that this space was only for seniors and did not feel that their feedback was important to the process. Additionally, senior centers throughout the region have moved toward more inclusive naming such as the Edmonds Waterfront Center to be representative of the community in which it exists.
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| Redmond's Heritage Northern Red Oak credit, Yoder |
The Parks and Trails Commission discussion on July 7, 2022 focused on whether “Senior” should be part of name but determined that “Community” is inclusive of all the people who would use the center. After discussion, the Planning Commission passed a motion 4:3 in favor of the “Red Oak Community Center.” It will be going to the City Council for action August 2022.
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| AustinChronicle.com |
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Mayor Birney: "The Master Builders claim Kirkland's tree protection ordinance violates the Growth Management Act (GMA) because it failed to consider private property rights, created vague implementation standards, treated trees like critical areas without consideration of Best Available Science and will decrease housing production.
Mayor Birney: "Although we do not believe these arguments have merit, staff want to take the "Growth Management Hearings Board" conclusions into account before finalizing the ordinance for Council approval. The final Board decision on the matter is expected in November. In the meantime, staff are proposing to update the Redmond fee schedule for tree replacement and the enforcement codes to ensure that unpermitted removal is appropriately deterred until the substantive regulations can be finalized for Council adoption early in 2023."
Owing to the strength of the Planning Director Carol Helland's advice to Council, it was decided not to take action on the Proposal until November 2023 at which time the Kirkland law suit will be resolved. Council will wait until early January before implementing the new ordinance. In the process of this timeline, developers will be vested under the more lenient ordinance for another 2.3 years.
How much canopy will be removed before the new more restrictive ordinance takes place?
The Planning Director will not hire a "Code Compliance Officer."
-- Bob Yoder, 6/29/2022
For details on penalties for illegal tree removal, and to comment "Read More"
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| Three landmark oak trees. The Design Review Board says one must go. |
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| The Oak Heritage Tree Chris Weber, Arts Administrator next to trunk (click to enlarge) |
Opinion: Mayor Angela Birney's "Senior & Community Center" groundbreaking ceremony yesterday was fabulous. After the ceremony, we walked to City Hall for a poster session and to meet *city staff, our elected and city leaders.
We were asked to "vote with stones" for a building name we liked best. I recommended "Red Oak Senior Center" on one side and "Redmond Community Center" on the other side. I really hope it's the peoples' choice. So, what's so special about "Northern Red Oaks" Quercus Rubra?
* SEEN: Hank Myers, Hank Margeson, Vanessa Kritzer, Angela Birney, Pat Vache', Arnie Tomac, Laura Lee Bennett, John Oftebro, Cherl Strong Magnuson, Rosemarie Ives, John Couch, Jessica Forsythe, Eric Dawson (project manager,) Zach Houvener, Loreen Hamilton (parks director.) Jim Kalelage (architect,) John Marchione, Sue Stewart, Chris Weber, Marty Boggs, David and Chip.
Source: https://localtreeestimates.com/northern-red-oak/
-- Bob Yoder, opinion, photo, 6/3/2022
The city is updating their tree regulations soon. City council is reviewing the tree permit and considering community donations to a "Tree Fund" for tree planting events.
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| Pam on Landmark tree stump in our front yard. |
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| My double-trunked fir on the left was removed after getting a permit from the city. |
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SHORT VIDEO OF ESTERRA PARK, THE ESTERRA APARTMENTS. AND OFFICE SPACE -- Worth every minute Many posts on the controversial deforestation of the land are here! 2600 apartment units / 6 communities 285 rooms/ 2 hotels |
Lincoln Properties (PARKSIDE) is designing three multifamily buildings on blocks 5, 6A and 9 of Esterra Park. Building “6A” on block 6A is proposed at six stories with 215 homes. Building “A” is proposed as an eight-story building with 212 homes that straddles blocks 5 and 9. Building “B” is also on blocks 5 and 9. It is proposed as two buildings connected by enclosed walkways, with heights of five and six stories and 231 homes. The north portion of Building “B” faces the Park at Esterra Park.
The project (white structure on right) incorporates a 7-story office building with 3-levels of underground parking featuring a new access road with fire truck and utility access. (The white structure on the left is lodging.)
Project Number: LAND-2018-00817
Avalon Bay Communities is designing a six-story, 330-home building on block 8 of Esterra Park. Block 8 is across NE Turing Street from the Park at Esterra Park site. The design for the building includes a ground-level courtyard that opens to the side facing the park.
As part of the Esterra Park Master Plan, Capstone Partners is designing a 2.67-acre publicly-accessible park. After completing design of the park, Capstone will construct, own and maintain the park. Early in 2014, Capstone solicited input on park design and presented a design to the Parks and Trails Commission in June and August 2014. Capstone presented a park design to the City Council in August 2014. Elements in the current design include:
