10/30, "Trick or Treat" - Robinson knocks

Endorsements and campaign signs have gotten a little out of control in the election battlefield. For instance, Jim Robinson is proud of his Police endorsement, yet in the 2003 mayoral race he accused Holly Placket of unethical practices when she accepted a Police endorsement.

In contrast, John Marchione stated in his August 2 BLOG he would not accept endorsements from any union where he may need to negotiate contracts because he feels it's unethical. John’s campaign decision demonstrates INTEGRITY. One might say, Robinson's acceptance of the Police endorsement sticks out like a sore thumb – like the police tag stuck on all his signs.

Yes, all candidate signs are quite loud these days but there is no denying that the multitude of Red & Blue "Police" signs staked "in two's and three's" everywhere are overwhelming.....ESPECIALLY, in light of Mr. Robinson's campaign challenge to Holly Plackett and John Marchione declaring:

"Yard signs are a significant source of visual clutter and have a negative impact on our environment, both by the resources used and the litter remaining after the election season is over. In addition, the proliferation of the number of signs in recent elections, especially in the public rights of way, can create hazardous conditions for drivers. Mr. Robinson believes that preserving the natural environment in Redmond is very high on the citizens’ list of priorities and so has proposed this small but significant step toward achieving that outcome."

-- Jim Robinson Press Release, 2007

I wonder who is winning the mayoral sign battle this election?! In Mr. Robinson's words, signs are a "significant source of visual clutter and have a negative impact on our environment". Isn't there something HERE to be said about the INTEGRITY of the leaders we choose...even if costumed in a "trick or treat" campaign challenge?

Bob

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FROM SUZANNE QUERRY - It's a sad day when elections in Redmond start looking like the partisan national elections that make us all cringe. Who knew that special interests would start running our city? For years we've had a mayor and a majority of the city council who were independent and didn't answer to special interests. Now we have at least two candidates being funded by and therefore beholden to such groups as the Master Builders Association and some group called the Coalition for Eastside Cities. Both groups have seen fit to inundate us with unwelcome robo-calls touting the virtues of John Marchione and David Carson. Mr. Marchione has the savvy to denounce the tactics of these groups. Mr Carson does not. Both groups are not adhering to the spirit or letter of the law regarding unsolicited pre-recorded calls. I urge each of you as voters in Redmond to reject such tactics and the candidates who will be beholden to these groups, whether they requested the support or not. The truth is that we do not want our city run by people who owe debts to well funded ultra-conservative groups that want to continue stripping such resources as Perrigo Heights and pave over what little bits of paradise we still have in our little town. Vote for the candidates who have demonstrated their independence.

--Suzanne Querry, 11/2/07

FROM BOB YODER - Remember please, the Perrigo Heights Woodland "paradise" was stripped under the Rosemarie Ives Administration with Mr. Jim Robinson, Chair of Council Parks leading the way. Efficient use of tax dollar resources by the Marchione administration will improve the liklihood of saving future natural treasures. Why? Money will be budgeted for these exceptional community needs by creating efficiencies and establishing priorities within our government. The Marchione administration is most ABLE to listen to our neighborhood and community needs and to plan, prepare, and respond to meeting them.
--Bob Yoder, Saturday November 3, 2007


FROM A NEIGHBOR, 11/4 Robinson boasts about his signs being recyclable. It may be true, however in practical use; they cannot be fixed, because they are so cheap. Once broken it is in garbage. Marchione, Cole, Margeson and Carson’s are made out of plastic, all can be fixed and put back in use. Now the streets are cluttered with deceased Robinson signs. When will they clean it up or do we have to wait until election is over? It’s worse than an over-application of beauty bark. Not the most “green” product for the most “green” candidate.
Sunday November 4, 2007 -

UPDATED: Almost EVERYONE WINS! - Redevelopment of the Keller Farm, 9/3/07

UPDATED on 4/18/13.   It's my understanding the wetland bank program has been delayed for 5 years.  I don't know the details, but you could contact the city council ombudsman at council@redmond.gov for an explanation. 

OPINION:  My friend and neighbor, Richard Morris, wrote a "guest" blog a few months ago about new developments at historic Keller Farm near Avondale and Union Hill road. Recently, the planning commission has been holding public meetings on the project. The commission graciously left their meeting open for "comment". If you have something to say for the record, you may still comment (as of 8/5/07) to the planningcommission@redmond.gov

If ever there was a WIN-WIN land-use & re-zone project in Redmond THIS is it!
Below is an assessment of community needs that will be satisfied by the Aegis Living - Keller Farm development.

1. Mr. Keller, owner of historic Keller Dairy Farm and now pumpkin farm has agreed to sell his land to a developer, but the low density residential zoning and Critical Area characteristics impeded progress and land values.
2. The City classified much of Keller's land as protected, "critical areas" -- 1) recharge zone for maintaining our well water supply, 2) and hazardous flood zone, 3) riparian and fish & wildlife Protection Area; and wetland making re-zoning and development difficult.
3. Aegis Living retirement company sought a premium location to attract and service their retirement clientele and obtain a location close to their corporate headquarters.
4. The long-time landowners with grandfathered 25 foot buffers on Evans Creek want to increase the value of their land so that SE Redmond can be redeveloped. Evans Creek is a salmon bearing, straight channel with little or no riparian habitat or buffers.
5. Perrigo Creek is taking on higher concentrations of stormwater run-off from new developments (Perrigo Heights, 180 Ave, and SR 520) presenting negative impacts to priority Bear Creek habitat.
6. Environmentalists (Muckelshoot Indian Tribe, WaterTenders, community activists) want to protect priority open space, habitat, and species.
7. Redmond Historical Society and residents want to preserve our heritage and our view corridors.
8. Congested traffic needs to be mitigated on Avondale Road during redevelopment of the corridor.
9. 5000 senior citizens 65 years and older live within a 3 mile radius of Keller Farm and will need retirement accommodations and care.
10. Affordable housing is scarce for residents and workers in Redmond.
11. Wetland mitigation banks are needed in Redmond to facilitate growth.

How the above needs will be satisfied (in sequence):

1. The residential and agricultural zoning of Keller Farm will be amended to "Bear Creek District" allowing Mr. Keller to sell his 126 acre farm for a good return to Aegis Health Care (8.8 acres) and a "wetland bank" entrepreneur ((117 acres).
2. A "wetland bank" is created in partnership with the the city and Aegis. The bank allows the city to protect their valuable recharge wellhead protection zone, protected riparian habitat and species, priority flood zone & wetlands. Susan Wilkins stated our 1998 FEMA Flood Map was dated. Kim Richardson had concerns about pesticides.
3. Aegis Living, website here, will build a state-of-art retirement complex next to their corporate headquarters. Assisted living with focus on memory care will be provided. Alzheimer's is expected to grow by 10-fold by 2050. 1 in 5 citizens will be over 65 by 2030, according to Brain Poge of Aegis.
4. An easement is created in the wetland bank to allow for re-routing & meandering of Evans Creek away from SE Redmond businesses. Riparian habitat will be restored and creekside resident land value will increase stimulating redevelopment of SE Redmond.
5. Perrigo Creek currently runs underground 1000 feet in a pipe along Avondale. It will be "daylighted" to a swale (grassed ditch), the stream water -- oxygenated, filtered and re-routed away from Avondale wastewater before draining into Bear Creek - improving stormwater treatment and Bear Creek water quality.
6. The wetland bank will be used mostly for wetlands paved over by roads, high schools, and trails and will not replace on-site mitigation. Victor Woodlasnd, wetland banker partner, has a 10 year commitment to restore banked units. Within 20-years the wetland bank will be endowed in perpetuity to the Cascade Land Conservancy. The wetland bank will be restored with trees and shrubs native to wetlands. Man-made ditches will be removed. Trails should be pervious (Dick Schaetzel) and secondary to the flow of the creeks (Ed Schein). Bear Creek is a channel. Off channel rearing of fish is superior and more likely after restoration. (Bill Shields).
7. Aegis Living residents do most of their driving during off-peak hours so they are a good business for busy Avondale Road.
8. 10% of the units will be set aside for affordable housing for workers and possibly residents.

What appears to be "unfinished business" or issues of concern are, as follows:

• "Avondale Green Homeowners Association" is not opposed but they want a 2nd exit onto Avondale and a U-turn for safety.
• a small triangular neighborhood next to Aegis is unhappy with the Aegis Road going next to their neighborhood.
• Susan Wilkins duly noted concerns about our dated 1998 FEMA Flood map. Staffers agreed that mapping work needed to be done. Susan presented photos of the proposed Aegis tennis courts in the 1998 flood plain.
• Jill Richardson had duly noted concerns about pesticides.

The wetland bank is highly regulated, but the City of Redmond has final say via permitting and the debit side of banking. The Dept. of Ecology and Army Corps of Engineers are next in line. The EPA has some jurisdiction, as well. City Environmental planner, Cathy Beam, and Planner Jeff Churchill worked hard on this project and did a great job.

Project review and rezone are almost finalized. The Department of Ecology will consider a Public Hearing - by request only.

** The photograph above is of cow pasture along Bear Creek. It may be Keller Farm. This photo is on the front cover of Redmond Historical Society's new soft-cover titled "Redmond Reflections - from settlers to software", written by Naomi Hardy. To order write redmondhistory@hotmail.com.
Redmond City Technical Report of the Aegis project is HERE

FACTOIDS - a 225 acre wetland in Duval was the first wetland banking site in WA. Washington State Dept. of Transportation (WSDOT) owns 5 wetland banks. Two banks are in Skagit county and one in Eastern Washington. >> wetland banks are booming across the country but are limited in Washington State by stronger regulations.

Planning commission's final recommendations to Council of 9/28/07: http://www.redmond.gov/insidecityhall/citycouncil/CurrentAgenda.asp

Miguel Llanos, dedicated public servent & Redmond historian

Above is a photo I took of Miguel Llanos orchestrating a Redmond Historical Society multi-media event

 Miguel Llanos, a friendly, respected Education Hill neighbor, is an admired co-founder of the Redmond Historical Society, the editor of the "Redmond Recorder" newsletter, and is now a newly appointed commissioner of Redmond's "Landmarks and Heritage Commission."

I first met Miguel on the Perrigo Woodland Trail in 2003 during the citizen & city council march through the Perrigo Heights Preliminary Plat to save the woodlands. Miguel set up an exhibit to educate citizens on the history of the woodlands.

Miguel was sworn into the Landmarks and Heritage Commission last night after Rep. Ross Hunter's Town Hall meeting. The commission meets only when an owner of one of the 16 properties listed as historic by the city wants to make a change, or when a property owner wants to have their property added to list.
Miguel says the 2-block row of old bungalow houses on 164th Street is not on the list 16 historic properties. This was the "Perrigo Plat" core of Old Redmond. According to Miguel, the Brown Bag Cafe bungalow, recently sold, was once owned by long-time Mayor Bill Brown! (1913-1948). Please speak up if you want Mayor Brown's old house on the List for preservation. Send your requests to Steve Fischer, city planner.
Below, is an excerpt from The Redmond Recorder newsletter:
"Redmond Historical Society -How respected are we?", by Miguel Llanos

How respected are we as a group? When you have three mayors
helping you out that’s a pretty good sign you’ve made it.

Mayor Rosemarie Ives (1991- 2007) is a Society founding member and helped us gain our footing when we started in 1999.

Mayor Chris Himes (1980-1983) joined us a few years later and has been a go-getter since day one. She was instrumental in contacting current Mayor John Marchione and Parks Director Craig Larsen to resolve a long-standing issue: securing the Old Redmond Schoolhouse auditorium for our Redmond Historical Society Saturday morning meetings.

Mayor Marchione (possibly influenced by attending our January meeting, where 100 people packed a room for 70!) was quick to make it happen, so starting in 2009, the auditorium will be our permanent venue.

Kudos also go to the City for taking steps to re-open Slough House Park, where famed carver Dudley Carter lived and worked during the latter part of his life. Carter’s Haida House is on the site, and is itself a work of art.

- Miguel Llanos
Editor, "Redmond Recorder"
Co-founder of "Redmond Historical Society"
Commissioner of "Redmond Landmarks and Heritage Society"

Video "here" of city attorney Jim Haney swearing in Miguel to city commission.
Please send comments and recommendations to Redmond Landmarks & Heritage Commission city planner, Steve Fischer. Your comments will be forwarded to Miguel.

Redmond's Great Blue Heron and "Riparian" creek habitat -- Regulate or Celebrate?

I was obsessed with this bird, probably because I did my senior project on it in college. My present thinking is it should be "proclaimed" a Species of Local Importance, not regulated.  - B.Yoder, 7/17/2022.

.....most future blog entries will be significantly shortened, for your convenience.

Opinion: Our city Great Blue Heron was regulated by the City Council under the Ives Administration three years ago to elevate their protections to the status of *endangered species. Despite these protections, all of the city's heron's rookery nests are inactive, according to city environmental planner Beam. When land use decisions are made by city council - as in the recent Bear Creek Parkway Extension decision - council was more concerned about the rookery trees then the heron. In fact, the bird itself was never mentioned. Redmond no longer has active nesting rookeries. Our "Heron Rookery" near Leary Way is simply a forest remnant across from the Saturday Market. The few herons we do see are migratory foragers.

Please consider asking council to revoke this "Species of Local Importance" ordinance and replace it with a symbolic Proclamation by which we can proudly celebrate our honored species....and ICON. Our rookeries have not been restored. The heron ordinance has no teeth.

Councilmember Nancy McCormick recommended 3-years ago our city consider symbolic PROCLAMATIONS for our "species and habitat of local importance"; rather than laws. Council is in the process of updating our Critical Area Ordinance and Shoreline ordinances and now would be an excellent time to support Nancy and tell council and Mayor Marchione what you think! Email: city council at council@redmond.gov. Or, if you'd rather keep the ordinance tell them.

Three years ago I and a few others nominated "riparian habitat" be designated and protected as locally important under the ordinance. The planning commission vote was split and it wasn't passed. I now understand the council's decision.

Today, I urge you email our council asking they symbolically PROCLAIM "Riparian habitat as city habitat of importance". Riparian habitat is the green band of vegetation that grows along our creeks and streams. Riparian habitat is critical for flood and erosion controls, stream water quality, endangered salmon and wildlife habitat and valued as a city asset.

In fact, a recent Berger Partner's parks consultant identified the "green ring" surrounding our city a unique city asset for tourism and our quality of life. The green ring consists of the riparian vegetation of Sammamish River, Bear Creek, Evans Creek and our northern green hilltops. In addition, a "string of pearl" park & trail system is planned for the Eastern Bear Creek and Evans Creek Corridor. Five parks will "touch" the riparian habit of these salmon bearing creeks! Great Blue's find food and shelter in the green riparian vegetation of our creeks - a symbiotic relationship.

Developers and landowners are now using riparian habitat as an amenity. And city development code helps protection and sustain of our riparian habitat. Take a drive through Camwest's Tyler's Creek. They did a tremendous job enhancing and restoring the creek and wetlands. I know, because I walked and studied the parcel before development.

Riparian wetlands and Perrigo creek was recently protected by the city and developer in the controversial Perrigo Heights development adjacent Hartman Wetlands. The city purchased 3 acres of greenway forested riparian habitat to help buffer the wetland and stream from excessive sunlight, enhance wetland water recharge, drying winds and preserve a greenway amenity. All this without a law.
I hope you will write Nancy McCormick, Council, or Mayor John Marchione to ask them to deny and revoke the Great Blue Heron regulations and PROCLAIM our beautiful wader bird as our symbolic species of local importance. And will you ask Nancy McCormick, council-at-large or Mayor John Marchione to PROCLAIM Redmond's #1 natural natural asset -- "Riparian" as habitat of local importance?

It's all up to you. 'We' have to tell 'them' what is important to us!

Postscript:  Riparian Habitat was proclaimed Redmond's Habitat of Local Importance by Mayor John Marchione in his first term.

*This statement should be verified by the Department of Fish and Wildife.   Beam told me years later there are no protections for the bird.

REPUBLISHED: Underground Stormwater vaults the size of two City Halls are an option for Overlake.

This piece was written in 2009 and republished 720/2012 for your interest.  Details to follow here on it's slated development on the Eastern parking lots of Sears...

Underground Stormwater Treatment Vaults the size of two (2) underground City Halls are planned for Overlake Urban Center.

JULY 7, 2009    The Planning Commission is currently studying the second phase of the Overlake Urban Center Plan. 5,000 residents are expected to move into the Overlake center, many of them Microsoft workers. A proposed Group Health Tower (~10 stories) will anchor the Center. A light rail transit center is planned. The 36th Street Bridge is under construction.

On July 2, 2009 the Parks and Trails Commissioners listened to stormwater presentations for the Overlake Center, by senior stormwater engineer Steve Hitch and OTAK Consultants. All the new roads, buildings and other impervious surfaces will produce dirty stormwater. The runoff will contain oils, sediment, and chemicals that must be treated before it's discharged into streams. The underground "concrete box" (vault) appeared a recommended treatment of choice compared to open ponds. However, today Mr. Hitch commented that "vaults are very costly, and they hide the water, so open facilities are a good alternative."

Open ponds, rain gardens, plazas, walkways, trails, and other Overlake Village design features will be displayed during a public workshop and presentation. See you Thursday, August 6, 2009 5-8pm at the Silver Cloud Hotel, 2122 152nd Ave. NE, Redmond, WA. Overlake Room.

The underground vault(s) are large, equal in size to two (2) underground City Halls! That's correct, two City Halls.  The vaults have many advantages. They will free up 3-4 acres of Open Space. A park-like atmosphere can be designed for the community to embrace. Trails, sidewalks, bike trails, plazas, and other connections can be installed right on top of the vault lid. However, the top priority for it's use remains a stormwater facility.

After the stormwater is treated in the massive vaults, it is discharged into Kelsey Creek, travels to the Mercer Slough and falls out into the East Channel of Lake Washington at 1-90. The City of Redmond is partnering with Bellevue on the route.

The closest I can come to an example of what a large underground vault looks like is this photo. This vault is located on Camwest's 32 -lot Perrigo Heights development. It's the size of "a pin" compared to the proposed Overlake Urban Center's vaults. Camwest's lid top is only about 30 x 60 feet. The Camwest HOA doesn't appear to be using the lid for resident activity, at this time. Treated stormwater from the vault by-passes Hartman wetlands and is discharged into Perrigo Creek, a tributary of Bear Creek.

My primary source for this entry are the audio-tapes from the Redmond Parks & Trails Commission meeting of July 2, 2009 CONTACTS: shitch@redmond.gov (on stormwater vaults) and tmarpert@redmond.gov (on Overlake Urban Center).

Overlake Village Urban Center & Kelsey Creek Watershed GOOGLE DOC LINK.
Your comments and feedback are welcome! It's hard to believe, isn't it?

City Planning and Development Director Rob Odle and Capstone update Council on Overlake Village Development

Public process for the park is robust.  Sites are selected for off-site tree mitigation

When Capstone purchased the Overlake Group Health site this Spring to build their mixed-use urban village it didn't take them long to get to the drawing boards.  In last night's Council session Capstone's Mike Hubbard said the hotel and conference center would move to the Northwest corner and it was decided they would design, own, and maintain the park.  After the spine road and parcel access roads are built, residential units (near 152nd) owned by Avalon will be constructed in May/June of next year.  All other construction will come afterwards. 

1400 multi-family residential units, 1.2 million square feet of commercial (office and retail) an 180,000 sq. ft. hotel/conference center, 2.7 acre public park and 10 acres of off site forest canopy are slated to be constructed eventually in this transit friendly mixed-use village.  The Group Health Hospital has already been demolished; possibly the second largest demolition in the State after the Kingdome, according to Hubbard. 

The public process for development of the park will be robust.  The Parks Commission and Design Review Board will hold special meetings on the park.  A Public Hearing is scheduled for October 15.  The first of two Community Meetings will be held mid-November.  Councilmember Allen asked that Council have input before the project goes to a formal "Type II" Review.  So there will be plenty of public comment time up front before formal review. 

Off Site Tree mitigation of all the trees that will be chopped down at the site drew the most interest and discussion from Council.  After consulting with Sustainable Redmond, staff narrowed down the potential sites for 81% of the trees from 14 to 7 and then 6.  They based their site selection on visibility, closeness to trails, habitat value, connection points between critical areas, and proximity to Overlake.  Perrigo Park, Perrigo Heights Open Space, Cascade View Park, the 2.5 acres behind Swedish Medical offices, and wetlands near the Marymoor Storage Center were finalists.  Councilmember John Stilin asked if citizens living near parks and open space gave any input, besides Sustainable Redmond members   View Point Open Space Corridor was the closest available location to Overlake for the remaining 2 acres of mitigation...but the slopes are steep.  The small tree "specimens" will be planted this Fall. 

Reported by Bob Yoder

OPINION: 7/19/07 Shaughnessy Heights PRD - longest land-use plat review in Redmond history

OPINION

/17/07 - Last night's citizen appeal to council of the Shaughnessy Heights, 15.1 acre 42-lot development adjacent Redmond El. will go down in the history books. It was the longest running plat review in city history - much owing to our PRD (Planned Residential Use) policy allowing for clear-cuts and greater densities.
The proposed development of approximately 42 lots (including duplexes) is serviced by one road in&out adjacent Redmond Elementary School. Deforestation and loss of habitat would occur almost in size of Perrigo Heights.

Though traffic safety and habitat issues came up, the two main legal issues were about tree buffering and adequate water service to the nearby neighborhoods. After much discourse the Council decided 7-0 to deny the permit and uphold the appeal of six citizens; and remand the appeal back to the Hearing Examiner to allow a second, open Public Hearing.
Six citizens appealed, led persuasively by S. Howard and J. Richardson. Public Notification deficiencies were again, a major source of dissent. The Hearing Examiner did not allow scores of citizens to appeal in writing owing to a technicality. Alert citizens purchased audio tapes of the Hearing Examiner's appeal hearing to have proof for their case. Councilwoman Kim Allen asked that a comprehensive letter be written to the Hearing Examiner advising changes in his Party of Record policy.
Problems with the City's Planned Residential Development (PRD) permit resurfaced. Citizens were very upset that a line of trees buffering their neighborhood from the development would be stripped. The trees would provide a valuable buffer from seven proposed towering new homes. Councilman Vache empathized since Mosaic Meadows project impacts his property in a similar fashion.
The developer claimed he was technically meeting city requirements for significant tree count and pervious soils by accounting for it though the parcel's "native growth easement". ("Native growth easements" is land that can't be developed because of steep slopes, ravines, streams, etc.) Thus, the developer claimed he should be allowed to strip out the neighboring buffer trees claiming them unsafe.
The neighborhood citizens countered saying their trees would not be safe with concerns for quality of life.Allen, Marchione, and Vache, offered impressive analysis and decision-making. But, Council President McCormick's hallmark statement warrants quotation.
After thanking Ms. Allen for articulating the case so well, Council President Ms. Nancy McCormick movingly stated:

"The public process may not have been violated but it was twisted. I can't keep from thinking about that couple who appeared at the Tent City public meeting and signed up to be Party of Record only to be denied on appeal to be heard.

The public needs accurate information and timeliness of an appeal, otherwise we make a mockery out of Public Hearings and caring about public involvement."
Ms. McCormick's motion to deny and uphold the appeal passed unanimously. The public is invited to review the project once again.
10/8/07 SUMMARY COMMENTS FROM TWO APPELLANTS NEIGHBORING THE PROJECT; The neighborhood appealants 'lost' to the landowner.
NEIGHBOR Ian -
The disappointing thing in my mind is that we had to put forth a very large amount of effort to secure the condition that adds this new buffer, when I feel that the city should have been the one putting that requirement into place from the beginning. Somehow the city didn’t even know that the right of way had no trees in it, even though there’s a sewer line running down it, which means they would have cleared it at some point of trees to put in that line.
Codes such as what Kirkland has in place are really the only good way to go about preserving mature trees. Even if we could have gotten the developer to leave the strip of trees along the border, I don’t think I would want them to do so, given that they’d be clearing out all the trees behind them, exposing that strip to new wind forces that could bring them down on my house. Kirkland’s codes on the other hand would have prevented the clearing of significant trees behind the strip as well, preserving the wind break and forcing developers to build around existing trees. Now, for all I know, Kirkland may also have similar development programs like the PLAT which allow developers to use different rules as long as they meet some criteria, but I know that at least the starting point for Kirkland development projects is more tree friendly than what we have here in Redmond.
However, given that we can’t protect the large trees along that strip, and that we can’t really stop the development outright, I think we’ve managed to secure the next best thing: a new buffer of trees to be planted along that boundary which meets our requirements for screening, in exchange for our support of the project going forward (no more appeals basically, and an email voicing that support to the city now that the new condition is in place).
-Ian. 10/8/07
From Steve Howard: We could never stop the developer from taking the big trees, since the city allows the tree numbers to be measured over the entire site. Or in other words it gives the developer a license to clear cut the land where they plan on putting the new houses. I would love to see a way to require that 35% of the trees must remain across the site. including the building area. The present codes and how they are read allows the developers to play a math game with our mature trees receiving no protection. This is wrong. 10/8/07

Spotlight on Redmond Councilmember Hank Margeson

Spotlight on Hank Margeson,  Education Hill neighbor and Redmond City Councilmember

OPINION:  In many respects: Hank is Redmond.  You may pass him on the Power Line Trail walking his dog Dizzie.  Or find him umpiring a baseball game at Hartman Park, or touring Perrigo Heights development with concerned citizens.  One day, Hank tipped me about a black bear his friends saw at RHS.  Patti and Hank have donated hours to Farrel McWirther Park's Pony Club. 

I bump into Hank all the time.  We've met at the first Digital Arts exhibit, the Sonic Forest event, a Leadership Eastside conference and neighborhood meetings. Hank and Patti raised two children in LWSD schools; he worked the phones for past Levy Committees.  He cares deeply about our schools.  At Christmas time we always drive through their neighborhood and enjoy their manger scene and lights.

Hank's work output is phenomenal.  He has two "full time jobs" -  Safeco and Council!  Hank was recently promoted at Safeco (or is it now called Liberty Mutual)?  He was recently appointed Council Chair of Public Administration and Finance.  Two years prior, he took on the big job of chairing Planning and Public Works. Hank is also current Chairperson for the Redmond Disability Board.

On top of his regular job and Council work, Hank took the reigns from Concilmember Cole to represent Redmond to the Suburban Cities Association Policy Issues Committee (PIC) in 2009.  This is a huge job - by importance and work load.   PIC works on regional growth management issues.  In addition, this month  Mr. Margeson was appointed Redmond's "alternate" to the Cascade Water Alliance board.  Cascade Water is building a pipe to supply water from the mountains to eastside cities. 

How did Hank attain such heights of community leadership?    1)  He has a Masters in Public Administration, 2) is a baseball pal with Mayor John Marchione,  3) a four-year volunteer on the Parks & Trails Commission and 3) three-year volunteer on the Education Hill Citizens Advisory Committee.  4)  is on the Recruiting Committee of  "Leadership Eastside" and 5) was a Redmond West Little League board member.  He takes leadership positions in almost everything he does.

Hank Margeson's myriad of leadership experiences attest to his acumen for leadership and consensus-building on Council.  I'm posting his picture so you will recognize him around town.  Will you wave hi to Hank next time you see him?  I guarantee you'll be rewarded with a smile, in the least.  You can also watch Hank on Channel 21 TV Tuesday's, at 7:30pm or read the Minutes of his Finance meetings low on this side bar.  Contact Mr. Margeson at:  hmargeson@redmond.gov 

OPINION by Bob Yoder

Some new Public Notice improvements!

"Citizen participation in the planning process --a horrifying
prospect to some administrators -- has proved to be the most effective way to avoid mistakes (and unintended consequences)." - SUBURBAN NATION by Duany, Zyberk & Speck

Just prior to Councilman Resha's departure from council, his Planning and Public Works Committee with citizen input recommended public notice improvements to council and staff. Below are improvements staff made in response to citizen effort. Special thanks for staff's addition of Notice into our city website; and appreciation to councilmen Cole and Marchione for this information! Noteworthy items are highlighted in green. Do you have have any comments?

THE NEW PUBLIC NOTICE IMPROVEMENTS:

A. Sending Notice of Application to residents (renters) as well as owners
B. Re-send Notice of Application when process type changes
C. Create a process flow chart to include in Notice of Application
D. Improve legibility of vicinity maps
E. Encourage (not require) neighborhood meetings for Short Plats (until RCDG can be updated to require)
F. Improve legibility of site plans
G. Provide the tree preservation plan with the Notice of Application
H. Place tree preservation plans, site plans, vicinity maps and flow charts on Internet together with Notice of Application
I. Provide web links on mailed/posted notices to direct readers to the legal notices web page
J. Clarify comments due date to reflect acceptance of comments until decision or hearing date
K. Clarify in notices that e-mail is an acceptable form of comment
L. Increase comment period for Notice of Application to 21 days

Department of Planning and
Community Development
Ph: 425-556-2438
Fx: 425-556-2400

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Examples of PAST Public Notice deficiencies: 1) Perrigo Heights: White and Yellow Notice signs not placed on northern boundary 150 feet, vicinity/site maps unclear, Party of Record list absent for community meetings, mailing list incomplete. 2) Shaughnessey Heights: tree preservation map confusion, incomplete notice to all parties of record. 3) Tyler Creek: Citizens appealed the wrong permit owing to incoherent and confusing legalize on notice, tree preservation map not readily available, incomplete commenting owing to short comment period, not all citizens received notice. 4) Tent City 4: Citizens misunderstood commenting protocol so could not participate in the process.

Deterrents to a fully informed public and project review still exist. For example: 1) more reliable accounting of Parties of Record by staff. 2) when you see the large, white sign on a proposed project it usually means you are "too late" to appeal the plat. This sign needs to go up earlier...and on.

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LINKS:

Current listing of new land use notices:

http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/cityservices/legalnotices.asp Citywide Legal notices

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Overview of Land use classifications

Overview of Review (permit)Classifications, Public Notice requirements, Decision-maker, Appeal body, Quasi-Judicial (q-j) restrictions... http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/redmond.html
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Public Notice requirements for each Review:

Detailed breakdown of each of the seven reviews, with examples of permits; and identification of Quasi-judicial (q-j) whereby the public input to city council is restricted.

Type 1 Reviews (permits) "plumbing" (eg. hot water heater), "tree removal", "temporary use" (Tent City), "clearing and grading", signs, street use, "electrical & building permits" (retaining walls) http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3030.html

Type II Reviews: "short plat" subdivision http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3035.html

Type III Reviews: q-j (public input restricted) "preliminary plat" subdivision (>9 lots); "shoreline variance" http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3040.html

Type IV Reviews q-j (public input restricted) "planned residential development" (PRD) - usually combined with subdivision. http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3045.html

Type V Reviews q j (public input restricted) "sensitive area exception" (e.g. steep slope sewer); annexation http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3050.html

Type VI Reviews "development guide" amendment; http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3055.html

Type VII Reviews "historic landmark" http://mrsc.org/mc/redmondcdg/cdg20F3060.html
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Public notice signage and Critical area reporting requirements:

http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/insidecityhall/permitting/devapps.asp#CriticalArea

The above Land Use link describes the yellow public notice sign and the large, white notice sign w/PRD information seen on proposed developments. SCROLL DOWN. Critical Area Ordinance reporting requirements are also listed. If you were to pull a project file that had wetlands and streams you should be able to find 5 documents required of developers to account for buffer averaging and other buffer mitigation calculations. If not, contact Cathy Beam, planner.

Heron Canyon

It's beginning to look a lot like a City!  

Everywhere...you go!

 

In the photo, you are looking north along 159th Place NE, to where it intersects with the western end of Bear Creek Parkway.  

In the photo, the building on the left is known as Blackbird Apartments.    The one on the right is Heron Flats and Lofts.  The Flats and Lofts abut the Heron Rockery.  The building on the right that is just south of the Heron building is known as The Carter on the Park. (named after the wood-carving artist Dudley Carter.)  The building straight-ahead is Radiant Apartments. 

Fredrick Appliance will be torn down in 2-3 years for a 6-story building, enlarging Heron Canyon further.  The new Osprey building will be the southern entrance to Heron Canyon.  

It's my understanding Eric Campbell developed the Heron and Carter buildings.  He was an active member of the LWSD Bond Committee.  With care, he developed Perrigo Heights and other environmentally vulnerable lands.

-- Photo by John Reinke

    Bob Yoder

    12/3/2021

OPINION PART ONE: "Moving Redmond Forward" on Land Use Appeal Decisions

KING COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Kirkland, Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Woodinville, Mercer Island, Seattle, Edmonds, Everett all use the King County Superior Court land use appeals. Redmond still uses City Council for land use appeals.

According to Rob Odle, Redmond Planning and Development Director, in the mid-90's, most cities abandoned the council Q-J land use appeal process for appeals by the King County Superior Court.

OPINION UPDATED, 5/17, Opinion: "Moving Redmond Forward" was Mayor John Marchione's #1 campaign slogan when he was running for office two years ago. John has been living up to his promise, unfortunately not the Council majority. The Council "majority" just moved Redmond two steps back during a conversation on Land Use Appeal Decision process in their last council meeting.

The council majority of David Carson, Richard Cole, Pat Vache' and Hank Myers took a straw vote, tallied by Carson, to keep their dated "quasi-judicial role" for preliminary plats. The quasi-judicial (q-j) role gives Council powerful legal and legislative appeal authority over a city-designated land use attorney's decision. (Hearing Examiner.)

After hours of deliberation in two Committee meetings last year, Councilmembers Hank Margeson and Kimberly Allen offered reasons to move our city forward in utilizing the King County Superior Court rather than keeping Council for land use appeals. Only Redmond and Bothell rely on Council for initial appeal decisions in our area. Below are reasons for moving forward:

• Redmond's present appeal process requires Council by law to thoroughly review every page, document, and blueprint in the Hearing Examiner's file for accuracy beyond reasonable doubt.
• Council is not legally qualified, nor has the time, to thoroughly review the Examiner's file for inaccuracies.
• Society is more litigious and will challenge Council's ability to craft a correct Record. The City is liable and vulnerable to expensive, drawn-out lawsuits by appellants and landowners.
• During land use decisions, which can take over a year, citizens are not allowed to communicate with their councilmembers about the project. When legislative mistakes of interpreting Land Use Code are made, Council cannot fix the problem up-front, by mediation, or in a pre-hearing meeting. Participation, citizen/landowner engagement, and transparency are severely limited by a WALL between the People and their Representatives.

The land use decisions subject to council's Q-J appeal process are called "Preliminary Plats". Some examples of Preliminary Plat appeals in Redmond gone a muck are: CAMWEST'S Perrigo Heights, CAMWEST'S Pearce, Shauhanessy, and CAMWEST'S Tyler Creek - all of which were strung out by Council's legal and legislative interpretations of a poorly crafted Examiner Record.

PART TWO, 5/20/09, "Thoughts on Redmond's Land Use Appeal Policy"
PART THREE: on "Moving Redmond Forward on Land Use Appeal Decisions" will focus on significant Preliminary Plat mistakes and unintended consequences from Redmond's Q-J process.
Chair Margeson's Planning and Public Works Committee meeting, 11/08
Chair Margeson's Planning and Public Works Committee meeting, 07/08

Continued landscaping delays at CAMWEST Development's "Perrigo Heights" project.

 

UPDATED, 10/18/2018:  Trees and shrubs were planted along with irrigation lines.  The forest has since grown back and you can't see this stormwater vault.  Group Health planted the trees as part of an off-site mitigation requirement.

B. Yoder

8/25, "Race for Mayor" Reporter article reviewed

Today's Redmond Reporter "Race for Mayor" article by Mary Decker provoked me to express some thoughts I have for the candidates and for Ms. Decker's reporting.

In general, I found Ms. Decker's reporting balanced and fair. She gave the front page color photos to the finalists - Marchione and Robinson; with the larger front page photo of "first-place winner" John Marchione hugging his child with a warm smile on election night. I felt this photo made up for the less expressive one taken by the Reporter prior to the Primary.

Some key points reported by Decker and paraphrased (in color) worth repeating and my comments, as follows:

JOHN MARCHIONE -

• most voters favored Marchione's message of "living within your means - households have to stick to a budget, so why not the city? I absolutely agree on that one. Just look at what's happening to the mortgage markets today from all those easy, 0-down loans!
  
• most voters approved of Marchione's proactive plan to keep more density in the Overlake and downtown areas. Yes, I agree! and said so at recent city council meeting. Hopefully, our chances to preserve some of the open space we enjoy in the neighborhoods will increase by focusing density downtown.
  
• Mr. Marchione is concerned about Robinson's idea of raising business taxes. John thinks that if businesses get driven out by higher taxes the residential property taxes may be raised to make up the difference. Holly Plackett also had no intentions to raise business taxes.
  
• Marchione continued to emphasize the need for a transparent budget with the community knowing where the money is going. hear! hear! Read my blog ON "THE SHELL GAME" (Tag "aaa") describing how the city shifts operating funds and capital funds back & forth at will, frequently for political purposes.
  
• Mr. Marchione emphasized being proactive in managing land use, growth, and housing choices. GOOD! Zoning Amendments need to be done with thought and scrutiny so as not to create further "Perrigo Heights" and "Tyler Creek" zoning oversights. The Development Guide needs to be updated to eliminate the scores of "Exceptions" to land-use approval and unrestrained PRD uses affecting neighboring communities. Holly brought some of these ideas out , as well.
  
• Marchione promotes a more active and lively downtown with dining, etc. Yes! I'd like to see some sidewalk cafe's and book stores and an cooperative art gallery and jazz restaurant.

JIM ROBINSON -

• Jim's central campaign platform is "do you want a hometown or simply an employment center? This tagline brings to attention the growing influx of workers who work in Redmond but don't live here. (I think we have a resident population of 50,000 with another 30,000 commuting to Redmond for work everyday.) So what's the answer to this plateform statement? Quite simple: by building more dwelling units and homes more commuters become residents and our "hometown" will grow. The fact is we have to grow to meet Growth Mangaement requirements. A fallacy is to believe our "hometown" won't change. It's already morphed from horse farms to suburbia & according to the Planning Commisssion (apointed by Ives) will evenually grow to an urban mass-transit center with 6-12 story buildings.
  
• Mr. Robinson attributes much of the traffic and congestion to commuters and a need to lessen it around Education Hill and around town. True! No doubt the commuters add to congestion. Unfortunately, even if you build homes to mitigate commuter traffic (and build our hometown) the traffic will still run through our neighborhoods and congestion will only get worse on Education Hill and around town.
  
• Robinson "sticks to his belief that public safety should have been funded as a priority all along while reserving Levy lifts for road infrastructure and other things". I agree with Jim, as do Marchione and Plackett. But, it seems it's been a standard of practice over the years to put safety out for levy vote. Mr. Robinson's been been a councilman for 16 years. Why haven''t we been able to improve our funding priorities for safety by now?
  
• Robinson associates citizen concern over our environment with the severe weather we've had in December and our lack of control over it. I think the Public Works Dept. has done an excellent job planting native shrubs and trees along river and stream areas--these shrubs help to reduce stormwater flows and preserve habitat and water quality. Jim is Council Chair of Parks. I'd like to see our Chair encourage the Parks Dept. and Police Dept. to pick up and remove their Proposition signs....to help our environment. To "take control" of our climate extremes citizens need to know where the young, old, and disabled can go to find a city shelter.
  
• Jim's supporters are pleased with the idea of updating Hartman Pool. Sure, it's a good idea. I love to swim. It's great excercise and soft on the joints.
  
• Robinson stresses "sustainability". The levy propositions are short term solutions when considering inflation is 5-6%. Jim proposes sit-down sessions and discussions to sort it all out and re-balance the revenues.

HOLLY PLACKETT -

• Saddened by the loss but vows to stay involved.
  
• Will keep working on behalf of the Family Resource Center
  
• and work for Grass Lawn neighborhood
  
• and work with Council to advocate for other HOA's
  
• concerns about Costco impacts to SE neighborhoods.
  
• and she's actively following the campaigns to ensure a robust democratic process during the election.

/> Hey! another neighbor just posted a comment. Press "Comments" below


HOLLY PLACKETT -

Saddened by the loss but vows to stay involved.
Will keep working on behalf of the Family Resource Center
and work for Grass Lawn neighborhood
and work with Council to advocate for other HOA's
concerns about Costco impacts to SE neighborhoods.
and she's actively following the campaigns to ensure a robust democratic process during the election.


BOB THEA:
I have to say, I’m glad it(voter turnout) increased, but it is still a paltry percentage of registered voters. Where is civic pride? Responsibility?Thanks for keeping us updated and informed Saturday August 25, 2007


RICHARD MORRIS:
Robinson's theme of "coming home" feels very nostalgic. There was a time, several years ago, when hot air balloons could safely land in open fields around town. No more hot air ballons.His question "do you want a hometown or an employment center?" has little to do with growth in Redmond. Redmond is currently a hometown *and* an employment center. Redmond is a thriving hometown with strong schools, churches, parks, and plenty of retail outlets. Redmond is, of course, an employment center with manufacturing, retail, and services. Redmond has seen tremendous growth in both homes and employment over the past 25 years. Growth management must accomodate both home (residential) and business needs. Each time Hwy 520 is extended, widened, and ramped more people will want to move into Redmond and work in Redmond. Is Jim Robinson proposing that a fence should be erected to keep out new residents or new businesses?

Water Tenders is resurrected

Key Club members help to restore a Bear Creek tributary
My daughter Lexie is far left; she recruited the Key Club
members.

Water Tenders is a group of people who care about the wetlands and streams in the Bear Creek area and King county.

The torch of Water Tenders (WT) leadership was passed from President Eric Soshea to Susan Wilkins at the WT Annual Meeting last week.  Many of the of the original tenders were present, including a relative of the founder. Leader Terry Lavender and past president Dick Schaetzel were out of town. Gary Smith was present. Debbie Aftebro from Novelty Hill had never attended a WT meeting yet she collects and measures rainwater for Guy Baltzelle's program. She wanted to meet Guy but unfortunately he wasn't at the meeting.  Shirley Doolittle-Egerdahl was up front with Susan and Eric. Shirley was once President and is now the Treasurer, replacing John Reinke,who replaced Dick S.  One of the new board members, Heather Poe was president and secretary for WT in the Early 2000 - 2005 era (before Susan became a member.) Shirley Doolittle-Egerdahl was also once a president along with five others. 

In her presentation, (video) Susan held up a map of the entire Bear Creek watershed. She was re-directing and expanding our attention to the entire Bear Creek watershed.  She states:

8/1/07, Proposition 2 - Parks Ballot Measure Levy Lid-Lift

Proposition 2 Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement for Parks Ballot Measure

This proposition funds operation and maintenance of park facilities and programs, such as the teen center, conservation, and after-school programs. It authorizes an increase in the regular property tax rate for collection in 2008 of $0.05 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, for a total rate (if only this proposition passes) of $1.23 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The 2008 levy amount would become the base upon which levy increases would be computed for succeeding years.

Should this proposition be approved?

Explanatory Statement The City of Redmond relies on property taxes to provide basic services such as parks and recreation programs. Redmond’s current total property tax rate is $1.18 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The proposed increase of five cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation would be about a $21 annual increase on an average home in Redmond. The proposed increase of five cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation will go directly to support parks facilities, maintenance and recreation programs. This proposed increase only applies to the Redmond portion of your tax bill, not your entire property tax bill.

The growth of Redmond’s population creates a demand for additional parks and recreation programs. As of 2006, the Parks Department maintains 1,136.8 acres of parks and open space, 24.7 miles of developed trails and 12 miles of street landscaping. In addition, after-school programs and recreation for teens and younger children are in high demand.

This levy increase would fund programs, such as:

• Maintenance and operations of neighborhood, community and downtown parks and natural areas.


• Added teen center hours and programs.


• After-school programs for elementary and junior high aged children.


• If only this proposition passes, the City of Redmond will be allowed to levy up to $0.05 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to invest solely in the future maintenance and operations of parks and support needed recreation programs.

Property Tax Exemptions King County offers various property tax exemptions for those on fixed incomes, including seniors and the disabled. For information on eligibility and other requirements: WEB: www.metrokc.gov/assessor/Exemptions/Exemptions.htm PHONE: 206-296-3920


FROM BOB YODER - It is most unfortunate the Council did not authorize the use of $32 million UNALLOCATED CIP (capital/general fund) dollars and Mayor Ives did not negotiate in earnest to acquire and conserve the Perrigo Heights Woodlands in perpetuity as a natural park. Redmond now is without any "priority habitat" urban forest, other than "steep slope". Did the Council forget Perriog Springs Woodlands would be very inexpensive to maintain and development costs would have been nil?
Thursday June 28, 2007 - 08:19am (PDT)


FROM RICHARD MORRIS - The Seattle Times published an appeal (Sunday, July 29, 2007) for supporting King County Parks thru voting on tax propositions. The editor stated “reluctant support”.I live in Redmond, where we have a City Proposition #2 seeking support for City parks. (See www.RedmondParksLegacy.org) It feels natural to support a tax increase to support parks in my city before supporting King County parks. Naturally, tax payers want to know how the money raised will be spent on parks. Tax payers have a significant tax bill that is cumulative for schools, hospitals, city, county, and state operations.King County has a huge number of parks, but as operations are transferred to cities, the need for county taxes supporting parks should be reduced. For instance, see http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/parks/fairgrounds.htmlKing County and the City of Enumclaw completed an agreement to transfer the King County Fairgrounds and four nearby county-owned parcels of land to the City of Enumclaw. The transaction included $2 million in county funds to help transform the properties into a major tourist attraction. The move is expected to provide a major catalyst for economic development on the Enumclaw Plateau.
Tuesday July 31, 2007 - 06:10pm (PDT)

FROM BOB YODER
#1 I think it was a good move when the King Cty. transferred Idlewood Park to the City of Redmond. The Parks Dept. recently funded additional lifeguards and they are thinking about expanding the beach area. #2 In the last council meeting I saw, the Council/Mayor adjusted their accounting of "unallocated capital funds (CIP)" from $32M to $13M. Aparently, they "forgot" to itemize out various reserve funds. #3. Parks Director Larsens writes that that part of the levy increase will go towards cleaning up the riparian open space along the Sammamish river, Bear Creek, and hopefully Hartman wetlands. Enjoyed reading your county parks comments. Bob Yoder
Wednesday August 1, 2007

City Considers Multi-Family Housing On Avondale

Perrigo Heights wet vaults -- a different development

Next Wednesday the 16th, the Planning Commission will review a multi-family land use proposal (Pier 67) on the westside of Avondale Road, north of 104th Street. 10431 Avondale.  Besides, single family dwellings, I hear senior housing and assisted living of sorts are planned.  This excites me because it brings a diversity of economic segments and household types.  And, the land use doesn't conflict with the character of our Education Hill neighborhoods.

One of my questions is the challenge of ingress and egress at Avondale Road.  Well, I guess if other multi-family complexes can navigate Avondale Road, Pier 67 can too. It's also nice there's a bus stop at 104th and Avondale. Residents could ride scooters to the bus stop right?  

Stormwater runs off the western hills.  Of course, the city requires keeping our stormwater clean.  Thus, Pier 67 will install two "wet vaults." and maintain  a bioswale to filter dirty water before it enters Bear Creek.  Pier 67 management are good stewards of our environment.

To make this all work, and bring diversity to this part of Avondale zoning would have to change from 4-dwellings per acre to 12 (or more) dwellings per acre.  The Planning Commission is holding a HEARING, next Wednesday the 16th at 7 p.m.  They're asking for comments on zoning and the neighborhood element. 

Please email your comments to the Planning Commission at:  planningcommission@redmond.gov

The Planning Commission unanimously denied the amendment. 7/11/2021

--Bob Yoder, 6/11/2021

   Photo, Yoder

Backyard feral cats and kittens on Education Hill

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Last November my small dog was barking crazy. When I went to get her, a mom cat was hissing with all teeth showing protecting her small litter of kittens.  The mom nested her babies near a crawl vent under an eve.  We kept the dog away and fed the family, yet the Tom cat wasn't to be seen.  Soon after their birth, the heavy winds and rains came.  The nursing mom moved her babies (by the scruff) to our above-water, wooden club house about 130 feet away!  We kept feeding her.  Later, I learned most wild kittens die from starvation.  The mom cat hissed and wouldn't get near to us. Oh no, it's a wild, "feral" cat!  One of more than a million in Puget Sound!


It was cold!  The mom moved her kits, again, under the chimney framing to stay warm.  This mom is smart!   We kept feeding her.  The Tom cat finally made his appearance.  He was huge and strong.  He could have easily taken our 10 pound dog down; but Tom was wild and skittish, too.  OMG!  We were feeding a family of four now!  I told Pam and Lexie we had to start thinking about getting them fixed.  But they were so cute!  Look at those little guys looking at you  with their Mom protecting the rear.  What would you name them?

When they were almost up to this size, the Mom moved them from the chimney to our barn-shed down below.  Lots of shelter under the shed and some great places to practice climbing!  The mom was teaching her kits to run and climb when they saw me.  They were 8 weeks old and almost weaned.  Since we couldn't get close to hold them, they became "feral" kittens.  We kept feeding them   Tom always ate first to test the food.  Mom ate next, after submitting, and then her kittens.


I started to get anxious about these guys growing up and going off on their own to make more cats!  Plus, I inherited four cats and never wanted any!  So, I rummaged through the Internet to see what to do.  I was amazed at all the organizations and non-profits with help and advice.  I called a Redmond "Feral Cat Coalition" (no longer in operation) and guess who answered?   Richard Grubb, a beloved Redmond city councilman of 10 years.  [I always remember Richard speaking up to protect Perrigo Heights Woodlands and help us cope with the ordeal.  He is a friend of the environment, a great writer of Letters and true public servant.  I don't know anyone at City Hall who doesn't admire and respect Richard.  ]

Richard gave me four cat traps and told me how to be gentile while using them.  Traps are hard to come by.  I was lucky and caught the Mom first using food for bait.  Tom cats roam alot but he came to see what was wrong and got caught next!  The white kitten was next.  But "blackie" was coy; I caught him in the afternoon.  I drove all four caged cats to a clinic in Lynwood that fixes them for free.  The Tom was heavy!  12 pounds!   These Tom and Mom pictures were taken the day after they got fixed and just before I released them into my backyard.  You can see the mom cat wasn't too happy.  So what came of the family?  The kittens were fostered by a clinic volunteer expert in training wild kittens!  Phew!
The Tom ran off. Will he come see us?  I hope so!  The mom decided to stay and  is "ours"!  Do you want to see a picture of her in our yard?  She's living in the club house and we feed her every day.  She's a good ratter and is nice enough to let us (and Roxy) see her outside of meal-time.

Bob & Pam Yoder

Read More >>

8/2/07 - Safety & Parks Tax Levy Propositions -Primary election

DID YOU KNOW?

Proposition #1 (Safety) & Proposition #2 (Parks)
Get ready! your absentee ballots should be in your mailbox by now! The PRIMARY is 8/21.
HOW WILL YOU VOTE?

PROPOSITION 1 - LEVY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING:

My wife and I know how we will vote ....with only one BIG BEEF.

Nine (9) firefighters are needed for the Overlake area mostly because of poor "response times". Did you know that "response times" have increased dramatically?

Nine (9) firefighters and an aid car are needed for NORTH REDMOND. Again, response times are up to 9 minutes!

Seventeen (17) police officers are needed for school security,traffic , cybercrime patrol, computer forensics, patrol and support. According to the mayor, only 4 officers patrol the city at night.

Officer Wilson informs me two (2) "School Resource Officers" (deployed for schools) will likely be returned in the 2008-2009 school year, with passage. One fulltime SRO for the High School and one SRO split between the two Junior Highs. The limiting factors for SRO's is staffing resources and deployment of staffing. But, SRO's are "guaranteed" for the immediate future if we pass the levy.

Chief Harris states that police today is much more than traffic and patrolling. Cyberspace crime is rapidly growing and needed technology is expensive. ID theft may now be replacing car vandalism & theft as Redmond's most common crime. Methamphetamine labs and related crimes are an ongoing problem.

PROPOSITION 1 safety services will cost the average homeowner & business about $145 per year. Our levy money will be dedicated to public safety and no public official can mess with it.

PROPOSITION 2 - LEVY FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FUNDING:

Parks Director Larsen suggested at the public meeting that Redmond Parks Department is no small business. The Department maintains and develops 40 parks -- totaling 1300 acres.
Parks also runs a Recreation program with over 200,000 citizens enrolled. Registration has been up 20% over last year. 16,000 citizens attended music events in the Teen Center last year.
Despite all our "showcase parks" the department has had to turn away 100 teams last year! Cricket, lacrosse,swimming, remote planes, Frisbee golf and other sports are competing for facilities used by established and expanding baseball, soccer, tennis, and high school swimming teams.

As witnessed from the loss of Perrigo Heights Woodlands to development, Open Natural Space doesn't come cheap and our children won't have the legacy of these Woods. The department needs to preserve what natural space we have left. They've acquired over 100 acres of natural open space parkland & 4 miles of trails recently.

Juel Park, Conrad Olson Park, Arthur Johnson Park and Slough Park are historic and natural. Funds are needed to develop & maintain these parks.

Director Larsen and our commissioners need funds to manage city lands, corridors, parks, creeks, rivers and other natural systems, including removal of invasive plants.
Levy money will go towards after-school programs, stewardship of our natural areas, a new staff member and greater availability to the Teen Center.

PROPOSITION 2 will cost the average homeowner and business $21.00/year.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS! PLEASE CAST YOUR BALLOTT BY AUGUST 21 ! THANK YOU!

Here's my BEEF and KUDOS to councilwoman Kim Allen for her leadership with Council!

I, and others, ask the next Council and next Mayor to please fund our critical SAFETY needs out of the General Operating Fund as the FIRST line item.

Annually 5% of our General Funds go to the Capital Fund (CIP). KIM'S TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: Only after funding necessary SAFETY services should we move ongoing revenue into the Capital Fund.

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FROM: BOB Chamberlin, Founder of the No. Redmond Neighborhood Email Group

You will recall that the last time they tried to raise our taxes they told us that if we didn’t give them more money there would not be enough funding to build and staff the additional fire/EMS facilities that we need (specifically for North Redmond). Most of us had to wonder three things about that.

1) How is it that they had sufficient funds to build themselves a huge and very expensive new city hall,

2) where did the money come from to give city officials (most notably the Mayor) a very substantial salary increase and

3) If the number of homes in North Redmond is increasing by a factor of four, and if those homes are paying far more taxes than the previously existing homes were paying why doesn’t the city have sufficient funds to provide the basic services for those homes that are normally expected?

Our response was that we resoundingly voted down their tax increase since most of us have the attitude that they need to better manage the over-abundance of money that has already been provided.This time the Mayor is suggesting that if we don’t vote to let them raise our taxes more than the current law allows there will not be enough funds to maintain the existing level of basic services. (Note that they have the legal right to raise our taxes every year anyway and they do not need our permission to do it. They just want a lot more than that.) In my opinion, this is what local governments do when they want more money. They cut funding for what the voters want rather than the funding for what the local officials want.There are ways that costs could be reduced rather substantially but the people who manage the money prefer not to even think about those methods. Here is an example. In my opinion, the City of Redmond Planning Dept. causes more problems than it cures. If you think about it, Planners tend to Plan whether that planning is actually needed or not and many of us feel that it is not. Each member of the Planning Dept. should be required to write a justification for his/her own job. After reviewing these justifications, cut about 80% of those jobs. Personally, I plan to vote, “NO” on Proposition 1.I wish I could say something like, “throw the bums out”, but Rosemary will not be running for Mayor so she is leaving anyway. As I recall, many years ago when Rosemary first ran for Mayor it was on a “No growth or very slow growth” platform and on that basis I voted for her. We have seen what that meant. I don’t like any of the current choices very much but some are better than others and in my opinion, the best of these is Marchione. Holly Plackett is for lots of growth. Her election web site calls for bringing in a lot more businesses and a satellite campus of the UW. This would, of course come with all of the attendant traffic and additional need for infrastructure (and of course, government). Also, I can’t say that I’m very fond of some of the organizations that are endorsing her. Robinson is supported by many of the folks who are currently a big part of what I feel to be the problem so I don’t feel at all good about him either.There are people on this mailing list who previously expressed an interest in running for Mayor but I have yet to see their campaign signs. - Bob Chamberlin, 7/31
Friday August 3, 2007 - 07:42pm (PDT)

COUNCILMEMBER KIM ALLEN:
Thanks, Bob!I want to take this opportunity to remind your readers that there are very stark differences between the mayoral candidates on public safety funding. When this budget was up for a vote, Jim Robinson wanted to pay for these fire and police needs out of our existing and ongoing revenues. As mayor, he will advance that policy. John Marchione wrote the budget that sent our fire and police needs out for a property tax levy increase, which was adopted on 12/19/06 by John Marchione, Richard Cole, Pat Vache, Nancy McCormick and John Resha. John Marchione made a policy choice to reserve those ongoing funds for capital projects like City Hall instead.Jim Robinson and I are supporting Proposition 1 because the public safety need is critical and because the majority of the Council decided that this was the only funding they would agree to. It was not our first choice.Vote on August 21!Kim Allen
Saturday August 4, 2007 - 02:22pm (PDT)

RICHRD MORRIS:

Hey Bob, I attended the community meeting at the City of Redmond on Tuesday, July 31st. The meeting was not well attended. I would guess the meeting notice did not arrive in mail boxes with much advance notice. I received my post-card invitatin on Monday, July 30th. Here are a few observations:1. There was not agreement among the City Council nor the Mayor for the budget. In my opinion, this struggle has spilled over into a repackaged levy proposition. Council chair Nancy McCormick described the budget process and the input from neighborhoods. However, the budget process did not result in consensus. This point was driven home by the Mayor and minority representative Councilwoman Kim Allen.2. The levy proposition has been re-tooled, but there was little enthusiasm from the staff presentations. The mayor continues to complain in public about the past year budget cuts for her administration staff. The allocation of funding the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was a source of disagreement.3. The Chief of Police offered no guarantees for a committed School Resource Officer. This contradicts what Bob states (above): "Officer Wilson informs me two (2) "School Resource Officers" (deployed for schools) will likely be returned in the 2008-2009 school year, with passage. One fulltime SRO for the High School and one SRO split between the two Junior Highs. The limiting factors for SRO's is staffing resources and deployment of staffing. But, SRO's are "guaranteed" for now if we pass the levy". Apparently, the wording on the ballot measure for the School Resource Officer was debated at length among City Council, the Mayor, the Superintendant of Lake Washington Schools, and PTA representatives. PTA representatives asked for quarantee for a committed SRO,however the Chief made clear that he needed flexibility in assigning resources as needed for effective operations.4. The Chief of Police described a hiring and training pipeline for new police officers. The Chief said Redmond competes with 500 other cities for hiring officers. The hiring and training pipeline can be up to 12 months. Thus, there is no quick fix to hiring and training new police officers. Naturally, the Chief needs flexibility in deploying resources for optimal effectiveness. The Chief distributed a summary of resource needs and the nature of crime fighting. 5. There were very few questions for our Parks Commissioner. However, a few comments were made about the choices for funding parks vs. funding public safety. Overall, the voters attending the meeting expressed some disbelief for the levy.6. There were a few questions about the tax bill for businesses. Councilman Pat Vache assured voters that businesses pay property taxes just like home owners. Mayor Ives explained that businesses pay a form of Business and Occupation Tax, in the form of an employee head tax. She stated the head tax is low compared to Bellevue. She also stated the head tax will be increased, as approved by City Council. My impression was that City Council was very timid for taxing businesses. However, in my opinion this approach increases the burden on city infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, stormwater, etc) without sharing the cost of maintenance. Given that the day-time population of Redmond is much greater than the night-time population, it is painfully clear that many people drive to work in Redmond. This trend is evidenced by the many extensions of Hwy 520 into Redmond over the past 30 years.Overall, the mood and tone of the community meeting was depressing to me. City Council appeared very cautious in selling this levy proposal. Mayor Ives was determined to see it through, but very dismissive of the council's budget choices. Professional staff seemed confident, but remained low key in their pitch. Mostly I had the impression that the Mayor wanted to pass the levy. Voters expressed some disbelief in the need for the levy, pointing to the new City Hall and the growth in our city tax base.
Monday August 6, 2007 - 11:52am (PDT)

YODER:

I was happy to learn the Proposition 1, Priority 1 Saftey campaign sign is recyclable. And, the Parks Proposition 2 campagin sign is recyclable. Both are made of milk carton materials and cost about $1.00 per sign, not counting labor which I think was donated by citizens or the fire/police unions.
Monday August 6, 2007