Redmond Councilmember Kim Allen testifies at the "Willowmoor Flood Plain" public meeting

Above, is a 6-minute video of the "Willowmoor Flood Plain Restoration project."  The purpose of the project is to control floods in the Sammamish River and Lake Basin while improving fish habitat.

In 2010 residents living along Lake Sammamish started to complain about floods on the lake that eroded the shorelines and damaged docks and piers. The King County Flood Control District organized a task force to find solutions. Nine meetings and 500 volunteer hours later, on June 6th a few days ago, the District held their final public design meeting. The options are: the "split channel with cold water supplementation" or "transition zone river widening."  Both are significantly cheaper than the County's current willow shrub maintenance program.    

Susan Wilkins, a Redmond Water Tender was on the Task Force and testified at the public meeting. (Well over 40 to 50 citizens attended.) She recommended the Split Channel because it is more salmon friendly while still offering flood control. The Split Channel option provides cool water supplementation and enhanced habitat important to Kokanee and King Salmon survival.  Matt Baerwalde, Water Quality Manager for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, also spoke in favor of the split channel option and highlighted the Tribe's concern about declining salmon runs and the cultural significance of salmon to the Native American people.

Redmond Councilmember Kim Allan testified and recommended the Split Channel. The City of Redmond spent $150,000 from their Opportunity Fund towards project planning. Ms. Allen said the city invested $1.7 million on Tosh Creek restoration and the Split Channel would be the better option for Tosh Creek.  Redmond's water table is high and it's expensive and troublesome for developers to "de-water."  Ms. Allen said the wide channel option would make matters worse.  

I counted nine people who testified at the meeting. Six were in favor of the Split Channel. I prefer it too. The Chair implied the study was over-vetted and a decision would be moved up to June 20. Construction isn't expected for completion until 2020 or 2021!

Of note, an old "weir" that acts as a "brake" to control river flows is beyond its useful life. Several testified a new "dynamic weir" is necessary for either option to work.  

Bob Yoder

Community coffee-time with Police Chief Kristi Wilson

Police Chief Kristi Wilson recently reached out to our community with a 2-hour "coffee" at Victor's Coffee.  It's great that she's so community-minded. I was lucky to have 25 minutes with her and another police officer.

She spent a lot of time answering my questions about the mentally ill, specifically about "involuntary commitment."  If a mentally ill person is at harm to himself or others or is gravely disabled, the police have the training and authority to take this person by force, if necessary, to a hospital for treatment.

I was curious how many involuntary commitments are made by the police Citywide -- the officer answered 1/day.  I was shocked.  And, over the course of about eight years, 12 involuntary commitments were made at tent-encampments.  If you calculate it, there's a higher incidence of involuntary commitments at the encampments, than Citywide.

Chief Wilson seemed excited about a new "police-human services pilot program" starting this July. The program will employ a city "social worker" to go out on patrol to help the homeless, and others down on their luck, to find human services.  The city is taking a leadership role on the Eastside with this program.   Kristi mentioned the police are also working with the school district and parks department to help youth find human services.  There's consideration the Teen Center will be used for job-finding services.

I was curious about how many patrol officers work each shift.  According to a police support officer, about 5 patrol officers work the first shift, 5-7 work the middle shift, and 5-6 work the last shift.  That doesn't seem like a lot.  But besides patrol officers there are traffic officers and support officers.

In preparation for our coffee, I checked out the city website and discovered King County identifies registered sex offenders by address and profile.  I told her I have eight living within two miles of my home.  Kristi said she just registered a new offender that day.

Becky Range, police information officer, was also present.  Becky said there was a rash of car break-ins recently.  Kristi said most of the break-ins happen when people don't lock their cars.

My time was well spent!  Thank you RPD!

Bob Yoder
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Open House on the proposed Mackey Creek rehabilitation project

Redmond, WA – An open house on the proposed Mackey Creek rehabilitation project will be held on June 16, 2016, at Farrel-McWhirter Park, one of the most beloved parks in Redmond. Mackey Creek runs through the middle of the park and adds to its charm. Trail bridges cross the creek in multiple locations and are favorite spots for watching the cascading water and for shooting photos. 

Despite its idyllic appearance, the health of the spring-fed stream has declined over the years. The creek is exhibiting bank erosion, barriers to fish migration, deposits of sediment causing it to flow out of its channel, and growth of invasive plants that have increased flooding problems. 

The City of Redmond is developing plans for rehabilitation and enhancement of the streams and wetlands within Farrel-McWhirter Park. An upcoming public meeting on Mackey Creek will provide a briefing, exhibits on recent studies of the creek’s condition, and the preliminary rehabilitation proposal. The public is invited to learn about the project and to share information or observations they may have about Mackey Creek. 

Date: June 16, 2016 
Place: Farrel-McWhirter Park — Big Red Barn 
Open House: 5:00 – 6:30 pm 
Presentation: 6:00 pm 

For more information about the project, please visithttp://www.redmond.gov/PlansProjects/Parks/FM-MackeyCreek. 

For questions or more information contact Tom Hardy, Stream and Habitat Planner, at 425-556-2762 or twhardy@redmond.gov. 

Redmond Way - Cleveland Street 2-way conversion begins June

Redmond, WA – The major construction project to upgrade utilities and convert both Redmond Way and Cleveland Street to two-way travel begins this month. The project is located on Redmond Way and Cleveland St from 160th Avenue NE to Avondale Way. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2017, which is when the lanes will convert to two-way travel on both streets. 

Throughout June, the initial start-up of the project will include activities such as installing signage and traffic control devices, staging of construction trailers, and demolition of some project elements. In July, travelers through Downtown Redmond will notice more impacts from construction such as pedestrian sidewalk closures and detours, partial lane closures, and traffic control measures as work begins on eleven intersections. The typical construction schedule will be 7 am - 5 pm, Monday through Friday, but there will be occasional night and weekend work. 

In addition to the City’s Two-way Street Conversion construction project, several Downtown private development projects will also begin this summer. The Two-way Street Conversion project team is working closely with the construction teams from the private developments in Downtown Redmond to coordinate the work, impacts, and communication with the community. 

Converting both Redmond Way and Cleveland Street to two-way travel will create more access to our Downtown businesses and make Downtown easier to navigate and more connected whether you’re driving, walking, biking, or taking transit. While there will be some inconveniences, people who live, work, and visit Redmond are encouraged to continue patronizing downtown businesses throughout construction. More information about Downtown projects can be found at www.Redmond.gov/Downtown. 

For questions or more information contact Jill Smith, Economic Development Manager, at jesmith@redmond.gov or 425-556-2448. 

Redmond's Downtown Urban Center resident population is targeted to increase 53% over the next 15 years

One of my Friends differed from me about the size of the resident population in our Downtown. This prompted me to get the facts.  Jason Rogers, a Redmond senior planner kindly gave me the low down:  

  

The Citywide resident population in 2015 was 59,250.  The citywide growth target in the next 15 years is 78,000 residents; that's a 31% increase. 

The Downtown Urban Center resident population last year was 7409. The growth target for this Urban Center over the next 15 years is 11,350; that's a 53% increase.  

The Overlake Urban Center resident population last year was 2,596.  The city's growth target for this Urban Center over the next 15 years is 10,550 residents; that's a 303% increase..  

Thus,  Redmond is planning to accommodate roughly 2/3 of targeted growth over the next 15 years in the two Urban Centers. According to Mr. Rogers,

 This is in keeping with Growth Management Act, VISION 2040, and Redmond Comprehensive Plan goals to create compact communities where appropriate services can be provided, and to retain Redmond’s community character and high quality of life  The remainder of targeted growth would be accommodated in areas including the North Redmond, Willows/Rose Hill, and Southeast Redmond neighborhoods which still have capacity for additional growth.

No doubt the population of Redmond is growing fast!  Let's just say, the traffic and congestion each year isn't going to get any better. We'll have to live and adapt to this growth for many years to come.   

Below, are the 2015 resident populations for the all of our city neighborhoods. Many thanks to Mr. Rogers for providing the data.  Read More >>

Rash of car prowls on Education Hill - lock your car doors!

Becky Range, RPD

For the last few weeks, we've seen a lot of car prowls.  From May 23 to May 29, Redmond Police received 26 reports of car prowls in the Education Hill Police District alone. We know that many of you are feeling frustrated and unsettled. Please know that we are doing everything we can to protect your property and have already adjusted patrols. We also have one specific Investigations unit devoted solely to property crimes. In the last few weeks, we also reallocated an officer to serve as a property crime detective to help with caseloads. 

We are investigating each of these prowls seriously and are analyzing the information in an effort to make connections or find common trends. We do know this…if a criminal can easily enter multiple cars, in a short amount of time, that is exactly where they will gravitate. 

We Need You To: 
• Remove Everything from Your Car. Yes, we mean everything. Phone chargers, pocket change, sunglasses, bags, etc. Thieves will take anything, even bags of trash…thinking it could be something of value. 

• Lock Your Car.

-  19 out of these 26 cars were UNLOCKED or showed no signs of forced entry or vehicle damage. Read More>>

Piliated Woodpecker nesting along the Sammamish River

Credit, John Reinke

The bird you see is a pileated woodpecker, which is the largest woodpecker in North America.  It is close to the size of a crow.  This female is sticking its neck out of the nesting hole it and its mate has dug about 25 feet off the ground in a dying poplar tree.  You can tell it is a female by the fact that it has a black forehead above its beak, whereas in males, this area is red.  Both sexes have red crests and otherwise are mostly black.

Pileated woodpeckers are not very common in our area.  I have only seen one in Redmond during the previous 25 years I have lived here.  However, I spoke recently with a man who said that he sees one at his bird feeder frequently, and he has a friend who has had the same experience.  The Washington Department of Fish and Game is currently considering the pileated woodpecker as a candidate to be listed as an endangered species in our state.

I took this photograph in a stand of dead and dying poplars located along the Sammamish River Trail, about seven tenths of a mile north of the NE 90th Street Bridge.  The stand is located on the east side of the trail, right across from the rust-colored foot bridge that spans the river there. A friend saw a male and female in the same area.  

If you walk or bike up that way, you'll see that there are a number of holes that have been drilled high up in the poplars.  The pileated woodpecker nest hole is kind of around the back of one of these trees, so you are unlikely to spot it without a good deal of effort.  

However, you may well see a pair of red breasted sapsuckers that are nesting in a hole that faces the trail, about 40 feet up in the same tree.  A pair of flickers has a nest in another hole that faces the trail, located even higher in another dead poplar, one or two trees to the left of this one.  I have also occasionally seen a downy woodpecker foraging among these trees.

Happy Birding!

John Reinke

Lake Washington Schools Foundation raises approximately $270,000

Big Dreams Happen Here

Help Make Them Come True

The Lake Washington School District is a place of big dreams. This is also a place where hard work helps pave the way for those dreams to come true. Join us in supporting the dreams of our students. Together, we can help every student succeed, from kindergarten to high school, from Juanita to Sammamish!

2016 Spring Events a Success!

The events raised approximately $270,000, LARRY Wright, PhD

Over 650 guests gathered for lunch and breakfast this month to celebrate the dreams of our students. The events were a true celebration of the hard work and aspirations of students in our district. Thank you to our generous guests and featured speakers for helping make those dreams come true!

LWSD students inspired everyone with personal stories about the importance of education and the influence for their teachers. Film student Jake Hanna shared his video and dreams of becoming a filmmaker. Students in Mrs. Pomerinke's class at Evergreen Middle School shared their college plans and the success of AVID, a Foundation funded program, which helps them achieve their goals.

The featured speaker at the breakfast event was Seattle Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid who spoke of his childhood as an immigrant and the teachers that inspired him growing up. Former Seattle Seahawk and NFL Hall of Famer Walter Jones talked at the luncheon with ESPN Senior NFL Writer and Analyst John Clayton about his dreams to be a professional football player.

A special thank you to Dr. Traci Pierce for her inspirational speech on helping students in our district achieve success and the ability to follow their dreams.

Willowmoor Floodplain Restoration Project

Please join the King County Flood Control District Executive Committee for a special meeting in Bellevue next Monday that will include the Willowmoor Project as an agenda item. Monday, June 6 at 10 a.m.Crossroads Community Center 16000 NE 10th Street, Bellevue At the meeting, the Flood Control District Executive Committee will be briefed on the design alternatives developed through a public stakeholder process for the Willowmoor Floodplain Restoration Project. The project is being planned to reconfigure the Transition Zone between the Sammamish River and Lake Sammamish through Marymoor Park. The alternatives seek to maintain or improve flood and lake level control and water quality and habitat conditions. The public comment received will help inform the Flood Control District’s decision about which alternative will move forward for further design. Information about the project and the design alternatives, a project video and the project area map can be found by on the Willowmoor Floodplain Restoration Project web page. For more information, contact Kate Akyuz, Program Manager at 206-477-4607, or kate.akyuz@kingcounty.gov.

Evergreen Announces Board of Commissioners Expansion Workshops

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I and past councilmember Tom Flynn attended.  

Series designed to educate residents on roles and responsibilities of commissioners.  5 of 7 commissioners were not elected.  They were appointed

-- Bob Yoder, 7/2022

The addresses and profiles of registered sex offenders living in your neighborhood

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When I checked the King County site, (red link) I found eight Level 2 or Level 3 registered sex offenders living within 2 miles of my home.  We live less than 2 miles from 3 schools.  Bob Yoder

There are many sex offenders throughout King County, so while it is important to be aware of registered sex offenders in your neighborhood, it is also important to practice safety precautions at all times. We recommend you regularly check Level 2 and Level 3 Sex Offenders in your community. You are able to search the database based on a specific address, city, or by using the offender's name.

Sex Offenders are classified into one of three levels based upon the crime they were convicted of and their history: 

Level 1

Most registered sex offenders are classified as Level 1 offenders. They are considered a low risk to re-offend. These individuals may be first time offenders and usually know their victims. 

Level 2

Level 2 offenders have a moderate risk of re-offending. They generally have more than one victim and the abuse may be long term. These offenders usually groom their victims and may use threats. These crimes may be predatory with the offender using a position of trust to commit them. Typically these individuals do not appreciate the damage they have done to victims. 

Level 3

Level 3 offenders are considered a high risk to re-offend. They usually have one or more victims and may have committed prior crimes of violence. They may not know their victim(s). The crime may show cruelty to the victim(s) and these offenders usually deny or minimize the crime. These offenders commonly have clear indications of a personality disorder.  

Read More >>

Community invited to new school project open houses

Two new elementary, one new middle school funded by LWSD bond measure

Redmond, Wash. – Lake Washington School District will build three new schools -- one middle and two elementary schools -- in the next few years. All three schools will be built in the Redmond area. The district’s April 2016 bond measure, which passed with a 66.28% approval rate, is the source of funding for these projects.

Community members are invited to attend two open house meetings about the new schools. At those meetings, they will be able to ask questions and provide feedback about the three new schools.

These community meetings will take place at the following dates/times:

·         New middle school and new elementary school to be built in Redmond Ridge:

o    Monday, June 13, from 6-8 p.m., Rosa Parks Elementary School commons

·         New elementary school in north Redmond:

o    Tuesday, June 14, from 6-8 p.m., Redmond High School commons

These open-house style community meetings will provide information about the proposed projects. The district will seek feedback on proposed plans. Attendees can come at any time during the two-hour timeframe of the meeting.

Attendance boundaries for these schools will be determined in the year before the schools open. A public process will seek community input into the new boundaries. No information on which students will attend these schools will be available until that time.

The new elementary schools are scheduled to open in fall 2018. The new middle school is scheduled to open in fall 2019.

###

About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District  is a high-performing, fast-growing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the fourth largest district in the state of Washington, with over 27,800 students in 52 schools.

The History of Bear Creek, Water Tender Newsletter

History of Bear Creek

By Gary Smith

Thousands of years ago, the first native people were drawn by salmon runs to the confluence of Bear Creek and the Sammamish Slough, where they established fishing sites.  When white settlers arrived in the valley in the 1860s and encountered only seasonal camps of Indians, the newcomers soon took over the land and water, greatly changing the natural habitat.  Salmon in particular were impacted as the Sammamish River and Bear Creek were channelized and as communities grew to cover large tracts of impermeable surface nearby, leaving only a small green space around the confluence.

Geography of lower Bear Creek  

As this 1897 map shows, Bear Creek flowed into the Sammamish south of the current confluence, which is shown by the light-blue line (visibility?) in this historical map of the downtown Redmond area:

Native American culture:  The first inhabitants of this area were probably Snoqualmie Indians (some claim that a band of the Duwamish tribe was here first).  Undoubtedly, many Indians followed the salmon from Puget Sound toward the Cascades, establishing summertime fishing camps along the waterways.  Despite arrowheads, mussel shell middens, and other evidence of seasonal food gathering in the Redmond area, however, there is no clear indication of any permanent Indian village near the confluence.  According to one local historian who did research at the Northwest Indian College in Bellingham, “Snoqualmie tribal elders tell me that a small plankhouse stood at that site (Slough House Park) for many years, making it a possible tollway for the use of the portage crossing.”  This Snoqualmie story, while unconfirmed, suggests that Indian activity was concentrated near the confluence.  

White settlers’ culture: Read More>>

The "City of Redmond, WA" header page has been updated!

Hear ye!  Hear ye!

The Redmond Neighborhood Blog "header page" for the City of Redmond, WA was updated today!

To read it...

Click:  http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/p/city-of-redmond-wa.html


(It may be posted on my Facebook Group)

The Saturday Market is here to stay

Painting By Patti Simpson

During the Downtown/Education Hill Town Hall meeting tonight, a question was asked about the status of the Saturday Market.  Redmond Town Center (RTC) owns the land on which the market is sited. For several years rumors have been flying RTC was going to boot the market off their location for a higher use. 

Last night the air was cleared:  RTC is conditioned by the city so that only an open market is allowed on the site.  RTC couldn't force the market out by raising rent because only open markets are allowed and RTC would lose all their revenue.  Thus, the Saturday Market (or any other open market) will never be forced off its present location.

The Saturday Market is a cultural ICON for the city with it's location on Leary Way, a gateway to the city. The open market is here to stay!

Bob Yoder

Naming Redmond's five streams

This is a 2009 post

The Redmond Parks and Trails Commission recently gave a thumbs up to giving official names to five streams of significance to Redmond.

• Klise Creek - Marymoor Park
• Idylwood Creek - Idylwood Park
• Peters Creek -  stormwater channel from Willows Road into Sammamish River, N. of 90th St. Br.
• Willows Creek - near Overlake Church
• Perrigo Creek - adjacent Ashford Trail

Peter Holte, "community naturalist" of the Redmond Department of Natural Resources listed the following selection criteria:

• community support
• presence of fish or the potential for fish
• presence of native plants e.g salmonberry
• names found in city documents (grants, land use, etc.)
• must be a headwater and have a tributary to a larger stream.

In a Redmond Historical Society (RHS) meeting several years ago, Peter Holte and Parks Director Craig Larsen announced the city's plan to formally name 4-5 streams. Stream naming is expensive since names must be documented and filed with the State.

Mayor Marchione announced during the 7/17/08 Planning and Public Works Council Committee meeting RHS support for renaming Evans Creek to Martin's Creek after an early homesteader. Redmondite and geologist Susan Wilkens researched U.S. Geological documents and discovered the creek was named Evan's Creek before the Martin's homesteaded on the creek in 1910.

Several citizens suggested Perrigo Creek owing to it's geologic and historic connection to Redmond's first drinking water supply at Perrigo Springs. Naomi Hardy of the RHS suggested a Class 2 stream running west along NE 124th Street through 60 Acres into the Sammamish River.

Bob Yoder

The naming and history behind Evans Creek

This is a 2008 post

According to the Minutes for the July 17, 2008 Planning and Public Works Committee chaired by Councilmember Hank Margeson, the committee held a discussion about naming city streams. Mayor Marchione noted that "there is some debate regarding the current name of Evans Creek; the Historical Society believes the name of the stream is Martin’s Creek."  

In 1910, Ben Martin homesteaded on what is now known as Evans Creek. Below, is a brief description, provided by the Redmond Historical Society, on his history and life on the creek.  

Ben Martin’s homestead, c.1910

Martin, John “Ben” Benjamin 1827 - 1920:

Ben Martin was a Civil War veteran who fought for the North under Gen. Sherman.  John was a survivor of Gettysburg. He arrived in Redmond in 1875 coming with the John Perry family on a scow.  Read More >>

Homeless Tent encampments, how to comfort and motivate the residents

This is a "comment" for the record I sent to the mayor and council about homeless encampments. They'll be having a study session about it soon.  

I've made many visits to Tent City 4 (TC4) encampments at St. Jude over the years and talked with the residents and on-site TC4 "camp managers".  I live 1/4 mile away from St. Jude.  In all the years St. Jude has hosted TC4 my family has never encountered a "safety problem or issue" (though we did worry about it early on). The camp residents seem docile and harmless to me.  I recommend warrants but I don't think background checks should be required.  I think the safety issue has been blown way out of proportion by some of those commenting at public meetings.   

I agree with the Amendment language that there be a REQUIREMENT for access of human services, especially "regional" organizations serving the Eastside. A good example of a regional human service organization is HERO HOUSE. Their mission is "to provide rehabilitation and employment programs for adults living with mental illness".  They have a van to transport WILLING residents to and from the organization.  Membership and all of their services are free. HERO HOUSE is located in Bellevue but they serve all the residents in King County. This organization is truly regional. They are very well financed with strong support from King County.   

Access to human services will help those willing to find permanent shelter.  Human service "access" should be a requirement not a recommendation of hosts and/or sponsors.  Residents should know about available human services; of course, residents shouldn't be required to use the services.  I recommend the burden of requiring access be put on the sponsoring groups rather than the hosts.   From my experience at St Jude, when the Father once committed to share Hero House literature with the residents, Tent City 4 "camp managers" sat on it  -- they could care less.  A requirement for access will produce better results if it's placed directly on the sponsor. Though host churches have good intentions they have many other things to do.

I hope Council can find a way to increase the duration at host churches to 6 months while keeping the frequency for both hosts to every one or two years. Lowering frequency will take "the burden" off our neighborhood.  Extending duration will give the regional and local human service organizations more time "to make a difference." 

Bob Yoder

HERO HOUSE website:  www.herohouse.org 
Comment:  mayorcouncil@redmond.gov

UPDATED: "Friends Who Like Redmond Neighborhood Blog," a new facebook group

Hear ye!  Hear ye!

Right off the press....

"Friends Who Like Redmond Neighborhood Blog"

A new facebook group and news feed of popular blog posts dating back 10 years!

Become a member! Post your own stories!

Share with your friends!

Questions? Want to meet-up?  Come to my "coffee hour" at Soulfood, Friday's at 8:30 AM
First coffee is June 3rd

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RedmondNeighborhoodBlog/

Sammamish River Trail users should plan for detours May though October

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond advises Sammamish River Trail users to plan for periodic detours off the path from May 30, 2016, through October 31, 2016, due to temporary closures from construction of the Redmond Central Connector Trail Phase II (RCC II) project. The RCC II project will extend the trail 1.3 miles from Downtown, past the Redmond Puget Power Trail, to Overlake Christian Church along Willows Road. Trail detours will be limited to Mondays through Fridays from 7 am–4 pm, unless otherwise noted. 

The centerpiece of the RCC II trail project is the retrofit of the former railroad trestle over the Sammamish River with a new deck that will carry pedestrians and cyclists. The trestle spans over King County’s heavily used Sammamish River Trail. At times during construction, it will be necessary for the contractor to work on or near the Sammamish River Trail. When this occurs, the Sammamish River Trail will be temporarily detoured for the safety of trail users. The detour will be in place only when construction activities directly impact the trail. The trail will be opened for normal use once construction has concluded at the end of the day. >>

Construction Updates: Expect downtown road closures June through the Spring

Several construction projects in Downtown Redmond are scheduled to begin throughout the month of June, including the 2-Way Street Conversion of Redmond Way and Cleveland Street and two neighboring private development projects.

Construction project teams are working together to coordinate the work, impacts and communication to the community. In addition to these Construction Updates, the City will have staff on site reaching out and available to the community. We will be sharing updates on the projects, progress and road closures as events unfold. Currently:

- Expect to see start-up of the projects throughout June including signage, traffic control devices, job trailers, etc.

- The 2-Way Street Conversion project is expected to take approximately 18 months. The private development projects will be approximately 18-22 months. These are estimates at this time.

- Please expect pedestrian detour routes around the work zones. Please follow pedestrian sidewalk closures and detours.

- There will be two temporary construction street closures including:
• 168th Ave NE (near Redmond Way between Anderson Park and Sleep Train): Closure related to 2-Way Street Conversion project. Access will be from the north off NE 79th St. Closure estimated June 2016 through Fall 2017.
• NE 79th St (near Redmond Teen Center west of 166th Ave NE): Closure related to private development construction on both sides of NE 79th St. Local or limited access only. Teen Center parking and access available from the north off NE 80th Street. Closure estimated June 2016 through Spring 2018.

City of Redmond, Economic Development
Jill Smith, jesmith@Redmond.gov, 425.556.2448
www.Redmond.gov

Bike Thefts Are Up

Bike Thefts Are Up

Public Information Coordinator Becky Range from Redmond Police Department

Lots of bike thefts in the last few weeks...especially at the Overlake Transit Center and from apartments along Cleveland. Patrol has seen many secured with only a cable lock, and they are being easily cut. We encourage cyclists to use a strong u-lock and even better, a combination of a u-lock and a cable. See more tips in the attached photo or here http://redmond.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId....

One particular bike was stolen from the parking garage near 168th Ave NE and NE 72 St. The victim had just purchased the bike, which was stolen from a locked bicycle cage located inside the garage. The chain-link fence that made the perimeter of the cage appeared to be cut, allowing access to the bicycle. It is possible the thief cut the cage in advance, as it appeared it had been zip-tied back together.

Thankfully, the victim provided a picture of the bike and then quickly located what appeared to be her stolen bike listed for sale on Offer Up. The original purchase price was $1,150 and it was listed for sale for $500.

An undercover officer was successful in setting up a meeting with the seller a few days later, who asked to meet in north Seattle. The seller rode up on the stolen bike. Officers identified and detained the individual without incident, who had not provided his real name on the listing. We were happy to reunite the bike with its rightful owner. The case is still being further investigated.

A review of the recent city Hearing on homeless encampment policy -- my emphasis on mental health services

Last night, the city council held a very important Hearing for those interested in city tent encampments policy.   From an earlier discussion I had with a planning commissioner, I thought the Hearing was to focus on three provisions of the amendment:  1)  a requirement on the hosts (e.g. St. Jude). or sponsors (e.g. Tent City 4) to allow access to human services, 2) consideration of background checks and 3) the term of the permit.  But, based on Hearing input, the council decided to hold a study session to review the entire amendment including length of stay.

I had four minutes to speak.  My ask was to 1) require better access of human services, especially those servicing the Eastside.and 2) put the burden of requiring access on the sponsoring organizations. rather than the host churches.  Based on past experience with St Jude, when the Father once committed to share Hero House literature with the residents Tent City 4 sat on it. In my opinion, the requirement for access will produce better results if it's placed directly on the sponsor. Though host churches have good intentions they have many other things to do.  >>

The Mayor and Council are coming to our neighborhood for Q&A on Monday, May 23.

Save the Date!  

The Mayor and City Council are venturing out from City Hall and coming to Redmond Elementary for Q&A, Monday, May 23!

6:00 Reception
6:30 Q&A begins
Redmond Elementary Gymnasium 

See a brief slide show of their first meeting in the View Point neighborhood HERE! 

UPDATED: A review of "Bob and Shirley Ferguson's presentation" at this Saturday's Historical Society Speakers Program

My wife and I went to the Redmond Historical Society speakers program today. It's been a long time since we went to one.  The program featured a terrific presentation by Bob and Shirley Ferguson, owners of the Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames store.  The Ferguson's two sons who now run the store were on stage spicing up the talk.  Read More >>

Join a Neighborhood Conversation with Mayor John Marchione and the City Council

On Monday, May 23, 2016, City Council will host its second in a new series of neighborhood conversations. These forums are a casual and convenient way for residents to interact with their elected officials. Each meeting will be held in a different neighborhood venue, and the meetings will be open for residents to direct the topics—whether it’s a neighborhood issue or the vision for the City. 

“We were delighted that so many people came to connect at our first Neighborhood Conversation forum,” said Redmond City Council President Hank Margeson. “As we look for new ways to engage with the community, folks are eager to share and learn more about a variety of topics important to their neighborhood.” 

This forum will be held in the school gymnasium at Redmond Elementary in the Downtown neighborhood. Community members can connect with their neighbors and elected officials, learn about City projects, and write down questions for Council. There will be a reception at 6 pm, and the meeting will last from 6:30–7:30 pm. Council will answer questions, discuss current projects in the neighborhood, and listen to ideas and thoughts from the community. 

A roomful of people attended the inaugural (April 28, 2016) Neighborhood Conversation at Audubon Elementary. The meeting was entirely focused on questions from the residents and included everything from transportation and school overcrowding to housing and zoning issues. For more information on this forum and future Neighborhood Conversations, please visit www.redmond.gov/conversations. Each meeting will be “kid-friendly” and light snacks will be provided. 

For questions and more information, contact Lisa Rhodes atlarhodes@redmond.gov or 425-556-2427.

EvergreenHealth and Bloodworks Northwest Expand Partnership

EvergreenHealth, Bloodworks Northwest Expand Partnership to

Open In-House Transfusion Lab 

Kirkland/Seattle, WA – EvergreenHealth and Bloodworks Northwest recently opened an onsite transfusion lab on the EvergreenHealth campus in Kirkland, enhancing efficiency in bloodwork services and testing for patients on the Eastside. The joint initiative expands existing services provided by Seattle-based Bloodworks to EvergreenHealth patients, and further eliminates the barriers of time and proximity for critical transfusion services.  Read More >>

Shin Yu Pai - The City of Redmond's 2016 Poet Laureate

Shin Yu Pai

Earlier this year, the City Council approved $10,000 to hire Shin Yu Pai as our Poet Laureate for the 2015-2016 year. Shin Yu Pai is a Poet, Curator, Oral Historian, Photographer, and Educator.

According to the city, the purpose of our Poet Laureate is to:

1. Broaden the awareness of poetry.

2. Express the spirit of Redmond culture through poetry.

3. Raise the level of discourse during discussions and debates in the City.

Have you ever heard her recite poetry? Please comment below this post.  I've heard her once at a city hall council meeting. I sat towards the back of the chambers and had a difficult time hearing and understanding her.  Frankly, I found her a bit over my head. Hopefully, we'll see more of Shin Yu Pai in a better setting as we get closer to the summer. 

You can find a full description of Shin's background here.  She has impressive credentials.

Bob Yoder

Expect increases in solid waste bills

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond is reminding residents of possible changes in their solid waste bills. As announced last August, the City negotiated a new solid waste contract with Waste Management. Along with increased collection options, customers may also have experienced increases to their solid waste bills. Beginning January 1, 2016, residential rates increased between 13% and 20%, depending on container size. Read More >>