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News and Opinion on Neighborhoods, Schools and Local Governments of Redmond, WA.
Saturday, July 9, 2022
Update: 2022 Derby Days Grand Parade
Updated, 7/21/2022 Imagining Town Center's Redevelopment
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| Pam relaxing on our way to the Center after dinner at BJ's / credit Bob Yoder / click to enlarge |
I've become more aware of Redmond Town Center (RTC) since word got out the new owner, President David Harvey of Fairbourne Properties, LLC is planning a "re-make." In fact, if you can believe it, RTC was built in 1997 and is a quarter century old. The structure is sound and architecture modern but it's 2022, and light rail is coming, along with thousands of jobs.
According to a Mr. Harvey's letter to Council, "Fairbourne will make much-needed capital investments including streetscapes, entry points, and the center-facing downtown, the new Light Rail station, landscaping and pedestrian access and building facades." Before & after renderings of the entry points show off exciting, creative improvements.
Harvey says his intent is not to "tear it down and start over." This may be the case for the most part, but once the parking lots (either side of my wife) are dozed this attractive walkway could go with it.
It's rumored 12+-story building(s) with lots of commercial and some residential may be sited on these old parking lots. One or two levels of public parking is a possibility. A "SR 520 gateway" at Bear Creek Parkway could improve vehicular circulation.
The good news? According to Mr. Harvey, "20% of new units would be priced at more affordable rents using the city's inclusionary and Multifamily Tax Exemption programs." Fairbourne can do better.
Harvey sees an opportunity to "elevate Town Center above the Bellevue Square of the Eastside." He wants to "keep it as a homebase for local restaurants and shops as well as unique national tenants." His goal is to double restaurant space. Retail space? Unknown. Could there be indoor shopping and recreational space?
The Arts Festival was a fun stroll, meeting friends along the way. It will be open again tomorrow, along with Derby Days. Cheers!
-- Bob Yoder, 7/8/2022
Source: Letter to Redmond City Council Members, Co-Signed by David Harvey, President Fairbourne Properties and Patrick Woodruff, Managing Director, Pacific NW Hines Interests. April 8, 2022
Friday, July 8, 2022
OPINION: Vote "No" On Public Safety Levy, Rosemarie Ives
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| Redmond Police in library watching over the Community Court |
On July 16th, Redmond City Council is making their decision on the Public Safety Levy. You may give them your comments and opinion at this email: Council@redmond.gov BY
Good evening Mayor and Council,
Opinion: My name is Rosemarie Ives, former Redmond mayor, 1992 through the end of 2007
I am here tonight to discourage the council from proposing a new levy to fund staff and programs in both police and fire departments. At a time with the highest inflation rate in 40 years, the threat of a recession, rising gas, food and housing costs, this is hardly the time for the City to ask the people to increase what they already pay in taxes. An additional levy will worsen an already unaffordable Redmond.
Thursday, July 7, 2022
11th Annual Redmond Arts Festival
| Redmond Town Center, 2022 |
VALA Eastside and Redmond Town Center are excited to gather artists, craftspeople, and designers for the 11th Annual Redmond Arts Festival at Redmond Town Center. This two-day outdoor festival takes place July 8th-9th, 2022, and features approximately 60 artist booths, a community art project, and live entertainment. The festival is produced in conjunction with Redmond’s annual Derby Days celebration at Redmond City Hall which features a parade, music, food, and kids' activities, and has an expected combined attendance of over 15,000 people. The entire City of Redmond is activated with art and festivities on these days.
ARTS FESTIVAL DATES/TIMES
Friday, July 8th 12pm-8pm
Saturday, July 9th 12pm-8pm
Commissioner Gary Smith Given High Honors By Mayor Birney
| Gary Smith teaching child about trees |
July is "Parks and Recreation" month. During "Special Orders of the Day" Mayor Birney honored four citizens for their contributions to the City Parks & Rec. One of them is a friend of mine, Gary Smith.
Allow me to paraphrase the Mayor's recognition of Gary.
- Parks and Trails Commission (2018 - present) Chair
- Advanced Sustainably pushing forward the East Redmond Corridor.
- ADA stakeholder working to improve access to all users of Parks and Trails
- Green Redmond Forest Volunteer for many years leading and working numerous forest restoration projects. Gary is the Forest Steward at Westside and Idlewood Parks.
- Gives valuable input on the "Tree Canopy Strategic Plan."
- Significant contribution to the pond restoration at Smith Woods Park (and project manager of the program honoring the owner who gifted the land.)
- Advocate for fish and fish habitat in and around the City.
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
UPDATED: Council Studies Impact Of Construction On Drinking Water
| Station House Lofts, downtown aquifer dig, 3/2017 / credit Bob Yoder |
Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village lies over a shallow, sandy aquifer from which the City gets 40% of our drinking water. Jessica Alakson, the City geological scientist gave Council a brief report on actions the City is taking to protect the aquifer from development of 1-2 stories of underground parking garages.
The aquifer is mapped by "Critical Area Recharge Areas" (C.A.R.A.). One day, Redmond Town Center will be redeveloped with 12-story buildings and one or two levels of underground parking. Town Center is in the high priority C.A.R.A. Type 1 zone. The proposed "Nelson Village" is in the C.A.R.A. Type 1 zone, as well.
Ms. Alakson said excavating the sandy aquifer artificially lowers the ground water-table. Water will be purchased from Cascade Water Alliance if water table significantly drops. [When water levels drop significantly, it's my understanding the developer may have to pay for the difference.]
Jessica stated "Temporary Construction Dewatering" will be amended to include the following limitations within the Critical Aquifer Recharge Area (CARA):
· Limit rate to 5,500 gallons per minute; and · Limit cumulative duration to a maximum of 1 year; and · Limit depth to a maximum of 9 feet below season high groundwater elevation.
Council member Jeralee Anderson asked Jessica how long it takes to recharge the aquifer? Jessica said if it's raining heavily, less than a month. The average recharge time is 2-4 months. Ms. Anderson asked how many projects would be vested from the more restrictive regulations. Jessica said hardly any.
No decisions were made.
-- Bob Yoder, 7/6/2022
Source: Council Committee of the Whole, Public Works, Presiding Officer CM Malissa Stewart
"The Challenge And Need for De-watering" (a summary of all my posts on Redmond's water.) BY
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
UPDATED: Priority Stream Proposed For Toxin Testing
| City staff Roger Dane & Steve Fix bookend Tosh Creek, 8/30/2016 credit: Bob Yoder |
"Restoring Tosh Creek" Bob Yoder (great background on the creek.)
$6.5 Million Restoration, Redmond Reporter
Tosh Creek is a Type 2 Priority watershed destined for complete restoration. It's headwaters are Overlake neighborhood residential adjacent West Lake Sammamish Parkway. The creek runs through acres of undeveloped land (prime recharge area); it's mouth is the Lake Sammamish River. At the mouth the creek provides spawning and backwater for Coho Salmon rearing and cool water for Chinook.
The City's environmental biologist, Jessica Atlakson, presented to Council a Tosh Creek street- sweeping project that could remove copper toxins from vehicular tires. The specific toxin is "6ppdq." A $55,500 King County Waterworks grant would determine the effectiveness of street-sweeping on toxin removal. 3.54 miles of West Lake Sammamish will be swept beginning 10/22 until 9/24.
OLD NEWS:
Friday, July 1, 2022
Redmond Opens Street To Celebrate And Foster Street Pride
Let’s Move Redmond is an Open Street Festival that promotes healthy, active transportation by transforming 161st Street into a place where people can bike, walk, scoot, roll and play. Let’s Move Redmond is an event that celebrates local businesses, community organizations and fosters civic pride in our streets.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
The Challenges Of Crafting Redmond Tree Regulations
| AustinChronicle.com |
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It's been 24 years since Council updated our Tree Regulations, thus we've lost MANY trees! Trees are a big part of our culture. They populate our parks, open spaces, trails, neighborhoods, and even downtown with greenery. They contribute to the riparian habitat of Bear Creek's salmon. We cherish them for their ecological benefits. A few of our treed parks and trails are regional destinations.
- For every one Landmark tree (30 inches or more) removed, six "replacement trees" (saplings) must be planted either on-site, off-site, or fee in-lieu. ($2,000.) in that order.
- For every one "Significant" tree (6 inches in diameter at breast height) removed three saplings must be planted either on-site, off-site, or fee in-lieu ($500) in that order.
- The idea is to build canopy. Redmond's goal is 40% canopy. Canopy provides cooling, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, aesthetics, raises property values, improves mental health, lowers blood pressure and more. Most Washington cities have a 40% canopy goal.
- For each tree removed illegally by topping the contractor's penalty will be tripled.
- Single Family Homes don't qualify for off-site or fee-in lieu options. Saplings must be shoe-horned into the parcel. If an evergreen is removed, it must be replaced by a six-foot evergreen tree. The requirements can never be enforced; no penalties.
- Find the proposed updates here: www.LetsConnectRedmond.com/
Trees
- "Redmond is at odds with another critically important goal for the community (and requirement under the Growth Management Act.); insuring adequate supply of housing."
- "Concerned enhanced retention and replacement requirements will significantly increase review times and construction costs; hampering new home construction and driving up costs."
- "This will make it increasingly difficult for the City to meet it's own housing targets and provide a range of affordable housing options."
- "The trees are getting the same protection as critical areas."
- "Reconsider a 40% canopy requirement since "American Forest" in 2017 no longer recognizes this as standard."
- "The Growth Management Act requires Redmond to responsibly provide dense housing totaling 8897 units by 2040."
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"
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Council Reviews "Senior & Community Centers" Expenses
At today's Committee of the Whole meeting Council reviewed Opsis Architecture’s "contract supplement for construction administration services." It totals $1,412,392. Opsis is the primary architecture firm for the new Senior & Community Centers.
Council also took note of the $5,211,638 "maximum amount" payable to Opsis Architecture upon completion..
2023-2024 Funding sources for the new Senior & Community Centers are, as follows:
$17.116 million: Capital Improvement Program
$1.25 million State Capital Adopted Budget
$1.648 million Surplus Park Impact Fees from 2019-2020
$2.486 million General Fund available cash from the 2019-2020 biennium and the 2021 fiscal year,
$9.5 million Surplus REET and park impact fees from the 2021 fiscal year.
$16 million Councilmanic bonds: (Councilmanic bonds do not require a vote of the people. Council members praised Finance Director Chip Corder for managing the issue and locking in a very low rate.
Total: $48,000,000
-- Bob Yoder, 6/28/2022
Monday, June 27, 2022
Car Stack Parking Amenity Offered In Two Redmond Hotels.
ARIA Apartments, One Of Redmond's Finest
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| Credit: Bob Yoder |
Saturday, June 25, 2022
Former Mayor Ives Challenges Staff On Puget Sound Energy Plan
| Rosemarie Ives |
Good evening Mayor and Council Members,
Rosemarie Ives, former mayor 1992-2007
I am speaking again against the Sammamish Juanita Transmission Line. Though much information was provided, I have one question: why did City staff support Puget Sound Energy’s business interests over the environmental interests of the people of Redmond AND the Puget Sound region who have committed to preserve the Sammamish Valley farmlands and open spaces for decades?
After becoming mayor in 1992, the Comprehensive Plan identified the east-west Transmission line at NE 95th Street as the northern boundary for manufacturing and industrial uses and with everything north remaining rural. The owners of the land north of that transmission line approached the City with a proposal for a golf course that is Willows Run today. After extensive negotiations, the City agreed to zone the property “urban recreation” with the understanding that this land would remain “open space,” with the owners required to uphold a long list of environmental regulations and responsibilities, and that in perpetuity, the golf course would remain open to the public. I believed strongly that zoning for a golf course was the best way to preserve the historically rural Valley, protecting it from any kind of business, manufacturing or industrial intrusion.
Thursday, June 23, 2022
LW School District Board Names New Officers and Legislative Representative
| l-r Mark Stuart, Siri Bliesner, Eric Lalibert, Chris Carlson, Leah Choi |
Redmond, Wash. – The Lake Washington School District Board of Directors named a new President, Vice President and Legislative Representative during their regular board meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2023.
- Siri Bliesner (Director, District Five) will now serve as the Board President, replacing Eric Laliberte, who had been president for the past two years.
- Leah Choi (Director, District Three) will now serve as the Board Vice President, a role that was previously filled by Mark Stuart.
- Mark Stuart (Director, District Four) will begin serving as the Legislative Representative, a role that was previously filled by Siri Bliesner.
Board reorganization takes place once per year, at the second School Board Meeting in June.
Comments (BY):
Siri Bliesner has been been very involved in City of Redmond governmental activities. She is on the Redmond Vision 2050 Committee and the Council compensation committee, to name two.
Leah Choi was elected in 2021, has young family and appears to be rising fast within the Board. She was supported by Redmond Councilmember Jeralee Anderson during her campaign.
Mark Stuart is a people person with a great sense of humor. He is extremely popular in the community with endless endorsements. The Board listen's to him.
IMO, Eric Laliberte is the "most improved leader" and one of the best Presidents
I've seen. He did a fantastic job leading the Board through the pandemic. A true asset to the District.
--Bob Yoder, opinion, 6/21/2022
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Opinion: Councilmember Varisha Kahn Is Back!
| Varisha Kahn |
Breaking news! Councilmember Varisha Kahn physically, in-person attended both Council meetings last night for the first time in over 20 months. Here's a June, 2020 snippet from Crosscut praising her:
Varisha Khan is a first-time city council member in Redmond. She drafted, proposed and passed recent legislation that protects Redmond residents from late fees and evictions, and offers support during other hardships. She recognizes this pandemic as a collective trauma for society and the only way she feels she can cope is by doing what she knows: helping her community through writing humane policy that mends a frayed social safety net."
-- Dorothy Edwards, June 22, 2020, Crosscut.
In addition to remote attendance Varisha presided over the Public Safety Committee for several months and coordinated the new Safety and Sustainability work plan. Other than that, her in-person attendance was rare until last night.
Since not everyone participates when attending remotely, the Mayor started a roll call policy for accountability.
Councilmember Kahn's constituents are diverse and her representation is critical. Ms. Kahn is the youngest councilmember in the history of this City. She's a woman in her mid-twenties (the average age in Redmond is 34.5 yrs.) She's a Muslim. And, she's a native, having graduated from Horace Mann Elementary.
The six councilmembers have worked hard to carry her load. Varisha is pretty confident. She is articulate, likes to talk, and eventually makes her point heard.
-- Bob Yoder, 6/22/2022
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Facebook "Oculus" Expansion Underway
The Facebook Oculus development is not solely "Building X." Facebook Oculus has permits for eleven buildings on Willows Road totaling $106 million.
Thus, the need for the "10 Minute Community" on 124th and Willows, which is currently under construction. 6/21/2022,
In the documents, Building X is planned to be constructed in a way that makes it hard to see, if not invisible, from the road and [Willows Run] golf course. It will be set back from the road in addition to having trees planted on many of its roofs. Two existing buildings onsite will be demolished.
Facebook is hiring, looking to fill more than 170 positions in Redmond, including nearly 70 for Facebook Reality Labs and 38 for Oculus, its virtual reality program. Facebook already has space in Redmond near the Microsoft campus and it is unclear how many of these positions would be placed at Building X. It also remains unknown exactly what will be researched at the Building X facility, but plans call for several of its labs to have high, glass ceilings to let in natural light.
-- By Aron Kunkler, Redmond Reporter, 11/16/2018
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| "Building X" is directly across from Willows Run Golf course. It will have 1,400 parking spaces under the building and 678,000 square feet of space. Photo, Bob Yoder What is Oculus? -- Compiled by Yoder, 6/21/2022 |
Sunday, June 19, 2022
UPDATED: Big-time Construction Is Creeping Into Education Hill
Friday, June 17, 2022
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Mayor Angela Birney Developing Vision For Redmond
| Mayor Angela Birney / redmond.gov |
Mayor’s Biography
Term: 2020-2023
Elected as Mayor in 2019, Angela Birney is now in her first term as Mayor of Redmond. The community of over 72,000 is home to a variety of several large industries such as aerospace, high tech, video game production, and biotech, as well as thousands of small businesses where over 85,000 people are employed.
As Mayor, she is the executive leader who develops the vision and implements the strategies for Redmond. She oversees eight departments and over 700 employees. The Mayor collaborates with Council to set policies for the City of Redmond.
The Mayor serves on the Sound Cities Association Board as President, King County Council Regional Policy Committee, Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board, Cascade Water Alliance Board as Vice Chair, King County Regional Homelessness Authority, OneRedmond Board, Hopelink Board of Directors, King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C), I-405/SR 167 Executive Advisory Committee, and Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee as an alternate.
Mayor Birney was elected to City Council in 2015 and served as Council President from 2018 to 2019. Prior to her Council service, she was the chair of the Redmond Parks and Trails Commission and volunteered her time at several different organizations throughout the Redmond community. She is a 2017 Leadership Eastside graduate.
Angela is a Washington native and grew up in Eastern Washington. She moved to Redmond in 1998. Formerly a middle school science teacher, she earned a Master of Education from Heritage University and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology Education from Eastern Washington University. She lives on Education Hill with her husband and daughters.
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Per "Redmond 2050" Mayor Birney is working with two visioning concepts:
1) Vision is "the intersection of community aspirations, market input, and physical opportunities."
2) Vision is "Where growth will go and what it will look like."
Mayor Birney is asking for community feedback. I like the following Vision definition: "What Redmond will look like after we're finished changing it."
-- Bob Yoder, 6/16/2022
"Move Redmond" / Safe Routes To Light Rail
This is Ride Transit Month and we at "Move Redmond" want to get you pumped up for the East Link light rail coming to Redmond! While we don't have a set date for the Overlake Village or Redmond Technology Stations to open yet, we know that now is the time to get Light Rail ready! "Move Redmond" has a whole campaign about safe routes to light rail, you can learn more here.
Young Children May Soon Be Eligible For COVID Vaccination
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