Overlake East - three building project - Videos HERE.
The combined site for MGP XII Overlake East is approximately 6.1 acres in size and is fronted by NE 24th
Street to the south, 152nd Ave NE — a linear neighborhood core with main street character to the west. Directly to the north/northeast of the site,
King County Housing Authority operates the Village at Overlake Station, which is co-located with the
Overlake Transit Center and Metro Park & Ride.
Overlake Center shopping mall, Macy’s mattress store, Mayuri
Foods, TruDental of Redmond, and a variety of retail and restaurant businesses will be torn down.
The application proposes a Master Plan for a four-building development to be constructed in three phases:
• Phase 1 includes Building A, located on the north parcel, to consist of an eight-story mixed use
building.
• Phase 2 includes Buildings B and C, located on the corner parcel, to consist of a seven story mixed
use building (Building B) and a seven story multifamily building (Building C).
Mental Health Triage Kits Contain Items to Help Police Comfort Those with Autism and Small Children
Redmond police officers now carry Mental Health Triage Kits in their patrol vehicles to better connect with small children, autistic individuals, and members of the intellectual and developmental disability community. The kits contain sensory care items.
Redmond Police Explorers assembled the kits during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 18, at the Redmond Police Department (RPD).
An 11-piece band consisting of some of Seattle’s most talented and experienced musicians, Rockfish And Friends focus on an eclectic mix of “Classic Rock That Kicks Brass” from the 60’s, 70’s and 80's. You’ll be hard pressed to find another group in the area so accurately recreating the very best from artists like Chicago, Steely Dan, Heart, Lighthouse, Doobie Brothers, Toto, Wings, Blood, Sweat & Tears and many more.
Wednesday, Aug 9: Catch a Wave
This Beach Boys tribute band comes direct from California. Established in 2001 Catch A Wave is the original striped shirt true-to-form Beach Boys show. Others just don't quite measure up. The idea for this incredible show was to recreate the look and sound of a live Beach Boys concert circa 1964 to 1969.
Wednesday, Aug 16: Laurel Canyon Legacy
Laurel Canyon Legacy celebrates the explosion of popular music that came out of LA’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as folk music blended with rock and went electric. Come take a musical journey through the 60’s and 70’s as they perform your favorite songs by groups like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, Beach Boys, Carole King, America, Buffalo Springfield, The Mamas and the Papas, and more.
Free Summer Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on the great lawn next to Redmond City Hall.
The Mayor of Redmond faced controversary over consideration of salary increases for Council members. Currently, *seven council members each receive $18,648 per year and over $28,000 in benefits. They have about twice as many formal meetings as school board directors. Directors receive $4,000/year much of which is typically directed to their annual retreat. No benefits. I will report EvergreehHealth commissioner compensation at a later date. Operating budgets will be quoted.
RCW 28A.343.400 Compensation—Waiver. Each member of the board
of directors of a school district may receive compensation of fifty
dollars per day or portion thereof for attending board meetings and
for performing other services on behalf of the school district, not to
exceed four thousand eight hundred dollars per year.
Any director may waive all or any portion of his or her
compensation under this section as to any month or months during his
or her term of office.
The compensation provided in this section shall be in addition to
any reimbursement for expenses paid to such directors by the school
district.
-- Source: Public Record Request, 7/19/2023
The School Board holds a Study Session and Business Meeting every other week. They hold Executive Sessions and Special Meetings. They get no benefits, health care insurance, etc. There are 5 Board members.
* With the exception of Councilmember Varisha Kahn, all the Redmond councilmembers and LWSD directors attended their meetings on a regular basis.
The City is accepting applications for the Design Review Board. Two vacancies are open to Redmond residents within the city limits who are passionate about the quality of architecture and landscaping in the City. Volunteers review and make recommendations to the Technical Committee, as well as approve site plans, landscape and architectural design, colors, and materials for commercial, industrial, and multifamily projects. Interested residents are encouraged to apply by 5 p.m. on Monday, July 31.
Councilmember David Carson is running for re-election of Council Position 7 in the Primary. Here, David is serving up flapjacks at the annual Derby Day Pancake breakfast.
You may have noticed? The Redmond Middle School's six tennis courts are being resurfaced (with an acrylic coating.) Though unconfirmed, the workers said all six tennis courts will also be lined for pickleball. Completion is expected by 7/31/2023.
Only 42-inch high standard tennis court nets will be installed. 30-inch pickleball nets will not be available. I've played on both net sizes and find them equally fun.
Will the City increase and encourage densification in our single family home neighborhoods by zoning for townhomes, triplexes, and fourplexes? Is this acceptable to you? Are cafe's, food trucks and grocery stores wanted in our neighborhoods? Participate in one of these workshops to get informed and tell the city what you'd like to see.
Monday, July 24 | Virtual Workshop on Complete Neighborhoods - What changes we would like to see in our residential neighborhoods to bring services closer to homes
Tuesday, August 1 | Complete Neighborhoods Workshop @ Redmond Library (co hosted by Eastside For All and other local community organizations)
Mature street trees line the roads surrounding the proposed 8-story, 700 unit downtown Chelsea project. These street trees have grown into beautiful significant trees, but unfortunately their roots are buckling and cracking the sidewalks. Before Council holds their Hearing on this development, I hope they will encourage Mayor Birney to design wide enough sidewalks for planting replacement street trees. We are losing urban canopy.
The wide six-foot sidewalk on 164th and 14-foot sidewalk on 83rd Ave. is threatened by this project. The city acknowledges the "level of traffic stress" for bicyclists and pedestrians increase when sidewalk widths are reduced. Wide sidewalks promote bicycle/scooter/wheelchair mobility, make room for street trees and raise the level for safety for all.
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 20, 2023.
Leah Choi (Director, District Three) will now serve as the Board President, replacing Siri Bliesner who has been the President for the past year.
Eric Laliberte (Director, District One) will now serve as the Board Vice President, replacing Leah Choi, Vice President for the past year.
Mark Stuart (Director, District Four) will continue serving as the Legislative Representative.
The city environment planner, Cathy Beam, reached out to the community yesterday with a poster session on the pending Critical Area Update soon to be reviewed by the Planning Commission.
Attendees learned the Evans Creek Relocation project was held up by King County permitting and the trenching to relocate the creek to the north hasn't started. Trenching was supposed to begin last year.
A large swath of invasive reed canary grass is being removed by mowing and applying Roundup. It's a big project. It's anticipated the relocation project will re-start sometime next year.
Critical seismic areas didn't appear to be of deep concern with staff since entire Puget Sound area is subject. They referred to building codes as protecting the city structures in the event of an earthquake.
The council-approved tree regulations are still not in effect owing to prolonged negotiations with the Master Builders. Thus, current projects are vested under the old, more lenient regulations.
Questions and concerns about the city's shallow aquifer was noted.
The Chelsea Square Master Plan site is approximately 172,989 sf (4 acre) and is located at the northwest corner of the
intersection of NE 83rd St and 164th Ave NE. The site is located in the vicinity of the Redmond Fire Department building, the Skate Board Park, the transit center and the Redmond City 8-story twin tower complex currently under construction.
A 3-story multifamily development with 6 residential buildings, a clubhouse, carports,
and surface parking will be torn down to make room for the project.
The proposed Chelsea Square Master Plan is an 8-story mixed-use development with ground floor commercial uses and one
level of below-grade parking. The proposed development includes 20% public open space to allow 8 stories.
The project consists of two phases. Phase 1 includes approximately 400 apartments and 350 parking stalls.
Phase 2 includes approximately 300 apartments and 300 parking stalls.
Chelsea Square apartments are in the "Town Square Zone." This zone is intended as an area for the densest employment
and residential uses in the Downtown.
This project is currently under review by the Design Review Board and I'm sure they would appreciate your feedback. Email: dlee@redmond.gov
-- posted by Bob Yoder, 6/21/2023, updated 7/17/23
I write this blog post with deep concern and a solid commitment to our community's well-being and using LinkedIn for broader reach. Recently, a decision was made to open the gate on the 172nd Avenue corridor, and it has ignited significant unease among residents, myself included. As a resident of Parkridge at the Woodlands in the Education Hill area, I felt compelled to raise awareness about the concerns surrounding this decision and advocate for a safer, more sustainable, and inclusive approach. The city is proceeding with removing this barrier in order to improve traffic flow. Once removed, the corridor will be bi-directional. Up-to-date information is now located on the City’s webpage.
Safety Concerns for Our Neighborhood: The potential increase of 5,000 vehicles passing through our neighborhood per day has raised serious safety concerns, especially with the recent establishment of Clara Barton Elementary School nearby. Our area already experiences high traffic volumes, and the proposed opening of 172nd Avenue would create yet another shortcut for traffic, adding to the existing congestion on 116th Street. Just days ago, a car speeding through the crosswalk hit the crossing guard's flag with children present. This is simply unacceptable. We have witnessed tragic incidents where black bear cubs were hit by speeding cars, emphasizing the urgent need to address road safety and protect our wildlife.
Environmental Impact and Ecological Preservation: Preserving our natural environment is a shared priority for our community. The decision to open the gate on 172nd Avenue also raises concerns about the potential environmental consequences, particularly in relation to our wildlife and community parks such as the Smith Wood. Conducting a comprehensive ecological study will enable us to understand the potential effects on our local animal population and make informed decisions that align with our commitment to environmental preservation. Moreover, it is vital to assess the capacity of our existing road infrastructure to handle the ecological impacts of the significant increase in traffic, ensuring the protection of our valuable wildlife and water sources.
Of course, we know construction in our downtown, Overlake and Marymoor village is extremely active. The city taxes this construction and revenues are significant as seen below. The city classifies this a "one-time money" since growth will eventually normalize and this "bonus" revenue can't be relied on forever.
The city clerk accounts for this one-time construction money, as follows:
2018 $11,584,950
2019 $9,325,885
2020 $11,066,344
2021 $16,814,029
2022 $17,756,725
My question: Besides the new Senior & Community Center where has this money been going?
Public Records Officer response: One-time dollars are only used to fund one-time programs, such as in 2023-2024 budget, these dollars are being used but limited to fund irrigation for community and neighborhood parks, sports field design and Police emergency response.
It seems the clerk's response is somewhat confusing and appears to contradict the Mayor's statement as found in her Council Salary Commission letter. Excerpt:
"The 2023-2024 budget creation relied on one-time money to restore a small portion of the 17.63 full-time equivalent employees laid off, and programs and services sharply reduced during the pandemic years. City revenues are slowly recovering, but are not up to pre-pandemic levels. In addition, all economic indicators point to a recession on the horizon." -- Mayor Birney. 5/26/23
Should, or shouldn't these lay-offs be funded through the General Fund rather than one-time construction money?
EvergreenHealth's current levy is ~2% of King County's property tax. A levy lid-lift will be proposed August of 2024. The hospital needs more beds and may offer out-patient mental health services.
EvergreenHealth's Board of Seven Commissioners have the final say on the distribution of levy funds each year, with recommendations of a standing levy committee.
30% of the Levy is allocated to "programs." The remaining 70% is allocated to "capital expenditures." Many of the levy-supported programs specifically address the special needs of under-served and high-risk community members, most of the programs are for use by the entire community. Capital expenditures often go towards funding instruments, labs, EPIC "My Chart," infrastructure and the like.
2023 Levy Program Directory:
Supporting Students in Crisis
EvergreenHealth provides social workers to Lake Washington School District high schools to assess students with high-risk behaviors and mental health concerns for free. The EvergreenHealth social workers meet with students 1:1, conduct groups, provide support to parents, and coordinate with school officials to keep students safe and connected to community providers. In 2021, our social workers helped 401 high school students during mental health crises.
High School Mental Health Therapists
Community funds also help the Northshore School District provide students access to mental health counselors. They meet individually and in small groups to address student needs. Supportive resources are also made available to students grieving the loss of a loved one. In 2021, our therapists served 1,264 students and responded to 47 crisis visits.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
EvergreenHealth's free Youth Mental Health First Aid training provides educators, coaches and other volunteers who work with students the tools to help adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis or addiction challenge.
Participants are taught how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and crises, what to say and how to talk with someone, and how to refer to professional resources for help.
[NAMI Eastside and LWSD also provide free Youth Mental Health First Aid training. I took it - great program]
STEM Global Health Education Partnership
EvergreenHealth partners with our local school districts to give students the opportunity to learn about global health initiatives through job shadowing, attending Grand Rounds and hearing from guest speakers. These kinds of partnerships give students the opportunity to immerse themselves early on in learning about careers in science, health care and so many other industries.
Community Health Needs
EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline
In 2021, our 24/7 Nurse Navigator & Healthline served more than 108,000 calls from our community for free, helping you with scheduling, referrals and answering those health-related questions even Google can't help with.
Healthline played a pivotal role in 2021, connecting thousands of neighbors with accurate information on COVID-19 and pandemic resources. More than 50,000 callers received nursing triage advice, getting help with home remedies for common ailments as well as diagnostic support for various illnesses.
EvergreenHealth's Community Health Education Services provided more than 790 community-funded classes and programs in 2021. Roughly 4,300 community members participated, taking the opportunity to enrich their lives with the kind of lessons only we can teach. As a community-owned health system, our curriculum and programs look to address the diverse needs of our region while building a sense of community for you and your neighbors around common interests.
The Gene & Irene Wockner freestanding hospice center has 15 beds and serves hospice patients in King and Snohomish counties. It is the only hospice center in both counties and provides you or your loved ones with short-term acute care, with the goal of discharging home once symptoms have been stabilized.
