The City Council meeting last night was loaded with neighborhood and downtown news.

UPDATED:   Mayor Marchione asked Council to make a decision within 45 days about the poor condition of Hartman Pool and how to implement needed repairs.  Find the full story HERE.

A King County planner reported that a new sewer pipe will have to be installed along parts of the West Lake Sammamish Blvd, the Sammamish River Trail, and through some neighborhoods. This will be terribly disruptive and messy 3 year construction project impacting traffic, the trail, and neighborhood homes!  It will run 4.5 miles with construction beginning in 2018.  Find the full story HERE.

The Couplet Conversion -- Planner Lisa Singer reported on progress with the Redmond Way - Cleveland Street "Couplet Conversion" project.  Construction will begin this May and start with utility improvements and signaling.  Lane re-alignment will begin toward the end of 2017 with completion early 2018. . The conversion project runs from 160th Ave NE to Avondale Way.  Redmond Way will have a center turn lane with parking provided on each side as the city redevelops. Cleveland Street will be two-way with parking on either side.  According to Singer, the purposes of the conversion are to allow easier access for businesses and provide pedestrian safety with shorter crossing distances.  Council member John Stilin suggested the city hold social events downtown as a reason for citizens to go downtown during the construction.

The Downtown Park -- Council member Byron Shutz reported 60% of the design work is completed with construction scheduled for 2017 - 2018.  There is a $1.5 million "delta" of budget vs. costs.

Eastside Woman's Winter Shelter -- Byron Shutz reported the shelter was over capacity during Thanksgiving and clients were turned away. The City of Redmond gave $15,000 (along with Bellevue, Kirkland, and Issaquah) to re-fund the shelter.  Short term housing may be provided.

Ombudsman Report -- Council member David Carson reported on a complaint of homeless loitering around the library.  He contacted the police chief.  Carson reported about a complaint on Facebook regarding the poor 2-day Notice on the Marijuana Public Meeting.  He explained the Administration's problem with getting the Notice out.

Items from the Audience -- Gary Smith, Redmond's Trout Unlimited advocate for Lake Sammamish Kokanee salmon asked Council for $10,000 to help fund a local Trout Unlimited staff position. A citizen complained about Watson Asphalt air pollution.

Bob Yoder

I usually tape the Tuesday night meetings on my DVR (7:30PM, Channel 21), take notes and if I find any worthwhile neighborhood news I often post it here and on Facebook.  I try to keep this as factual as possible but I'm not perfect so I'm sorry if a screw up from time to time. BY

Redmond Presbyterian Church Announces 50th Anniversary Legacy Celebrations

 

Events to honor church’s founding, five decades of ministries and service in the community

 

Redmond, WA – Redmond Presbyterian Church (RPC) today announced plans to celebrate its 50^th anniversary with special events taking place throughout April and May. The church was founded in 1965 on a 3-acre site atop Redmond's Education Hill and today has a vibrant, multigenerational congregation of over 250 members and friends. Read More >>

Water Tenders and onlookers spot about 35 salmon on Bear Creek this weekend

I thought you might be interested to see these photos of some hard working Water Tender volunteers at the booth set up on the Tolt Pipeline at the end of 148th St off of Mink Road close to Bear Creek on this weekend. 

One photo shows the very informative kiosk that was erected by Water Tenders some years ago.  That's Gary Smith in the background on the left, peering into Bear Creek with some local residents.  Free waterproof colorful fish ID cards were handed out to anyone who wanted one, along with paper frame polaroid 'glasses' to help see the salmon.

 61 people on Sat the 28^th and 85 turned out on the 29^th.    It was guessed 5-10 kings and 20-30 sockeye came through on Sunday ...  The Watertenders will be back next weekend. 

Reported and Photographs By John Reinke

Water Tenders, Bear Creek Basin Conservationists

My daughter, Lexie, was the youth Water Tender Board Member while in high school.  She wrote a white paper on Bear Creek nimbyism and organized Key Club restoration work parties.  In 2023, she was promoted to Lead Environmental Scientist / Planner for a regional engineering company in Spokane.  Lexie's LinkedIn information.

Article form Terry Lavender, Founder of Water Tenders:

"Water Tenders is a group of  people who care about the wetlands and streams in the Bear Creek area and King County..."  (Water Tender Gary Smith works closely with Terry on Bear Creek land acquisitions.)

I have been a Water Tenders member for all of its 25 years. Reflection is good and I feel pride and more than a little awe in what Water Tenders has accomplished. Some of the actions were the starting point for landscape-wide changes. The simple act of consistently collecting and reporting rain water led to the realization that one size does not fit all—Bear Creek gets almost double the rainfall of SeaTac and development standards must change. Careful observation and reporting led to improvements countywide in temporary erosion and sedimentation measures. We showed that people will work with their neighbors and enroll in tax incentives to protect natural habitat on their property and have been a positive voice for Bear Creek in the City of Redmond.  We have recorded baselines for species from amphibians to freshwater mussels and the biology of Paradise Valley Conservation Area with good, citizen-collected data.  We originated salmon docent programs that are now active all over King County and the list goes on.

I admit to angst about the future, however.  Groups like Water Tenders are rare.  People join forces to fight a development, support a piece of legislation or right some environmental wrong and end their involvement when the cause is won or lost.  Water Tenders has fought these battles but it has also been the slow and steady force that works to change the rules that allowed the problem, educate the neighbors, advocate for acquisition of important properties and then maintain and restore them and continually be the positive voice for a healthy Bear Creek.  Like the rain, we have been constant and it has mattered.   

Terry Lavender, Founder, can be reached at tlavender2@frontier.com

Community Digest, February 22

COMMUNITY DIGEST  (excerpt from 'Mustang News')

LAUGH ON: A COMEDY NIGHT. Originally scheduled for February 26, now March 5! The Old Fire House's first Comedy Night, hosted by Redmond High School's Mr. Noteboom and featuring stand-up comedy from Matt Eisenmann, Gary McConahay, Max Smith-Holmes, Josh Shepard, Kyle Svancarek, and more. 8pm, $7.

EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL BAZAAR. Don't miss the bazaar, featuring arts, crafts, and much more! It will be held on Saturday, March 20th from 9:30-3:30 at Eastlake High School - 400 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish, WA 98074.

VOTE ON IDYLWOOD ART!  The Idylwood Beach Guard Shack is going to get a face lift, and the City of Redmond Parks Department needs your opinion! The Redmond Arts Commission has selected the artists who will be creating a mural on the building, and now we just need to pick the design. Click here to see the designs and vote for the one you like!  Voting deadline is March 1st - and be sure to click all the way through to access the survey so that your vote will be counted. Thanks for being part of the process!

FREE TUTORING. Study Zoneat the Redmond, Kirkland, and Kingsgate Libraries offers help with homework and test preparation.

SCIENCE FAIR. Students in grades 9-12 may register by March 10 for the Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair, March 20 at Bellevue College.
 
By Mary Bourguignon, Editor of 'Mustang News'
 
'Mustang News' is published by the Redmond High School PTSA. To subscribe, please contact rhs.ptsa.news@gmail.com . For more information about the PTSA, please visit our web site at www.redmondhsptsa.org.

OPINION: Much credit goes to Representative Ross Hunter for SR520 - Bear Creek relocation

Last December, the Pacific Northwest experienced a wind and rainstorm of major magnitude; Redmond didn't escape. 50-year plus floods hit our area. The flooding closed Interstate 5 for days. Freight transportation delays and highway repairs cost our State economy $50 Million. Redmond Stormwater Manager Steve Hitch, captured eleven dramatic pictures of the flooding around town . Gary Smith spearheaded the citizen effort with a 1-minute video clip of Bear Creek flooding to within 10 feet of SR 520. ( Click HERE ). Contributing to the problem was the *Washington State Dept. of Transportation (*WSDOT) plan to widen SR 520 by building 4 new lanes into the Bear Creek flood plain! Bear Creek flooding issues were so severe a contingent of city officials traveled to Olympia to ask Representative Ross Hunter, Finance Chair for relief. Councilman Richard Cole spearheaded talks with Representative Hunter. Councilwoman Allen assisted. CM McCormick thanked me copiously for my communications with Ross Hunter. She said CM Cole was shocked by how agreeable Hunter was.  Mayor John Marchione kept the conversations moving forward. Natural Resource Director Jon Spangler estimated $8 Million would be needed to relocate Bear Creek away from the highway. Representative Hunter (48th District) listened and responded!! Ross, a past Microsoft executive, connected with Microsoft to transfer funds from a culvert construction project to the restoration of Bear Creek! Representative Ross Hunter's action and the many who encouraged him, have secured our safety, welfare and quality of life for generations to come. Thank you, Ross! But, to most, much more than public safety & welfare has been preserved. One of the largest populations of Endangered wild Chinock salmon run Bear Creek. After Bear Creek is re-located and the riparian vegetation is restored salmon will have better habitat and protections from WSDOT's caustic highway stormwater run-off. In fact, with empetus from the WRIA-8 watershed council and administrator Jean White, the King Conservation District granted several hundred thousand additional dollars to salmon recovery for this project! Click this page title for the full watershed salmon conservation report. Thank you Representative Ross Hunter for making this all happen! Regardless of party affiliation, you have certainly earned my vote this election year! *I received a flyer in the mail today from the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announcing: "WSDOT is currently working on an agreement with the city of Redmond to contribute $8M towards the Bear Creek relocation project." Well, you now know where and how WSDOT got their funds! 8-16-08

UPDATE: Restoration funding for Lower Bear Creek keeps getting closer! Rep. Ross Hunter indicates his "okay" at recent Town Hall Meeting.

UPDATE: At the 5/20 Town Hall Meeting in City Hall, Rep. Ross Hunter alluded to Endangered salmon and $50M in damages attributed to state road flooding last year. He indicated his okay for a "culvert funding transfer" to pay for mitigating SR 520. Ross deferred us back to Mayor Marchione for the formal announcement.

The impacts of the proposed SR 520 widening to Redmond are huge. Over 14 stories on the subject are recorded in this blog. (search "520").

In short, 4 lanes will be added to SR 520 between Redmond Way and E. Lake Samm. Pkwy. Economic and safety issues from severe flooding and threat to federally Endangered salmon are at stake. $10 million is needed to alter the creek's path away from SR520 and restore the flood plain and salmon habitat. The city can budget only $2M.

GREAT NEWS! According to Terry Lavander, member of the Sammamish-Cedar River "WRIA-8 Salmon Recovery Council", the City of Redmond may soon have the money needed to restore Lower Bear Creek and mitigate flooding. Negotiations are moving forward.

During the May 15, WRIA-8 Salmon Recovery Council meeting, Mayor Marchione told the council-at-large he expected to be able to announce $8 million in funding from the State for restoration within the next two weeks. Coincidentally, State Representative Finance Chair Ross Hunter along with Rep. Deborah Eddy and Senator Rodney Tom held a TOWN HALL MEETING tonight, May 20, 6 PM at Redmond City Hall.

In addtion to the $8 million request for funding from the State, the City of Redmond requested $227,000 from the King County Conservation District. According to Ms. Terry Lavander, $220,000 was awarded by the district for the restoration. Ms. Lavander is also an original member of Water Tenders.

The WRIA-8 Salmon Recovery Council played an important role in facilitating these funding requests. I've attended a couple of their meetings; the council is impressive. Jon Spangler, Redmond Stormwater engineer, is playing a key role implimenting plans. The WRIA-8 council is comprised of mayors, city council members, county council members and 3-4 citizens-at-large from over 20 cities in King County. Under the administration of Jean White, the Council wrote a strong letter to Governor Gregoire to urge funding.

Ms. White alluded to the flood pictures and video clips Redmond citizens took of the severe December 3, 2008 floods. She said citizen flood documentation was important. Citizen Gary Smith's short video clip of the flooding along SR520 is amazing and entertaining.

A photo "linked here" by Citizen Susan Wilkins depicting the 100-year flood plain encroaching Redmond Town Center is somewhat frightful.

Salmonberg Park?

(For more info on Redmond history click on the title link above.)

Two years ago Redmond received a little jewel from King County in the form of Slough House Park next to the Leary Way bridge. The site is well-situated along the east bank of the Sammamish River and features the hand-built art studio of the late woodcarver Dudley Carter, who lived and worked there. Recently, the city finished clean-up/safety measures and opened the park for public use. While there is no parking on-site, access is easy from the Sammamish River Trail, and a bench/picnic table has been provided. (Click on the picture to enlarge!)

Redmond Parks workers deserve a pat on the back for clearing brush and debris and removing dangerous tree limbs – see “before shot” to left.

Credit to Redmond Park Operations Division for photos.

In making this park our own, can we think of better name? To highlight Redmond's past, how about "Salmonberg Park" after the town’s first name? The settlers who fished for salmon along this stretch of the river also used the site to build a landing for boats coming upstream from Bothell Landing. Those plentiful runs of salmon, which had attracted Indians over the centuries, continue to this day, though in sadly reduced numbers. If you would like to support the name of Salmonberg or to suggest another name for the park, please contact redmondhistory@hotmail.com and voice your opinion.

Gary Smith, Co-author, Overlake Neighborhood

"Odds & Ends"

Odds & Ends

Affordable Housing 101

"Thumbs up" on purchasing Lake Tapps

That jokingly "evil" PRR government form!

SR 520 road widening news!

Affordable Housing 101- Many citizens are mis-informed about affordable housing, thinking it is funded primarily by public assistance. On the contrary -- on the Eastside, the majority of affordable housing is funded by the private sector. Visit "Housing 101" to learn more. Mortgage assistance (4% loans, and more!) is available for first time buyers of homes under $361,000 with incomes ranging from $40K - 67K. For details visit "House Key Plus ARCH". And don't forget to tell your children!

-- source: City Council meeting, 2/2008 and Arthur Sullivan, Program Manager, ARCH.

"Thumbs up" on buying Lake Tapps - The city council gave a "thumbs up" on approval of the Purchase and Sale of Lake Tapps (near Tacoma) for the Cascade Water Alliance. The Cascade alliance plans to pipe water into Lake Tapps for storage. The water source is the White River. It drains Emmons glacier on Mt. Ranier -- the ultimate source. A pipe up to 70 inches in diameter will transport the Lake Tapps water to Redmond and other eastside cities and districts. Since 2003 Emmons glacier has been receding. In one study, University of Washington scientists forecast a 59% loss of snowpack by 2050. I've mountaineered Emmons - its huge. The receding glaciers were not discussed publicly as a concern by the either the Cascade alliance or city officials during the council 3/08 meeting. The Cascade alliance pipe, conservation, and a smaller carbon footprint will ALL be required to keep our water supply at capacity. "By 2020 existing water supplies will not be enough to reach forecasted demands" according to the "2001 Puget Sound Regional Outlook". Councilman Cole summarized, we are fortunate to have the resources of Cascade Water Alliance.

That jokingly "evil" PRR government form - "PRR" is a government acronym for "Public Records Request Form". Yes, indeed, the public has a wonderful tool to acquire information they need to conduct business with the government and communicate with neighbors. It's the PRR! When you can't get the information you want from city hall you can try a PRR! By state law (and as long as your request is NOT for profit) the city is required to hunt around for what you ask for -- budget information, land use documents and more! And they can't dilly dally. Law states the information should arrive within 5 working days. Obviously, the city doesn't particularly like us snooping around "their records" and it creates extra work on their part. In addition, some would prefer to control the "inside information" rather than give it up to the public. Thus, the PRR is jokingly "evil" to some but a god-send to most.

SR 520 road widening news - Word is out a few local city and state government officials are "cautiously optimistic" about funding a Bear Creek meander to move it away from the 4 additional lanes planned for 520. The lanes will be built on the creek-side and will consume flood plain capacity and threaten endangered salmon. Meandering the creek will mitigate flooding, make traveling safer, and protect the listed salmon. Citizen Gary Smith (past Trails Commissioner, salmon aficionado and Water Tender ) has spearheaded and coordinated citizen efforts with the city, agencies and legislature and is a large reason for the success we've had to date. You can find Gary's regionally renowned 520-Bear Creek flood video clip here. Gary only recently announced guarded optimism for creek restoration funding.

Bob Yoder

Education Hill neighborhood

Clip: "Slow Down - Curves Ahead" on WSDOT's proposed 520 widening project

Credit / Bob Yoder

Bear Creek flooding behind Safeway Bear Creek Shopping Center on 12/4/08. Yes, that is a park bench.

PLEASE WATCH THIS 1-MINUTE VIDEO FIRST. Click HERE . You will be taking a drive with "Citizen Gary Smith" westward on 520. While looking toward Redmond Town Center you will see Bear Creek flood waters encroaching only 20 feet from the SR520 freeway. Enjoy the music on the way.

When WSDOT builds four more lanes on top of the Bear Creek flood plain you are watching, where will the water go? Local geologist Susan Wilkins is HERE to tell you.

"SLOW DOWN - CURVES AHEAD!"
In response to WSDOT’s proposal to widen SR-520 between the new Redmond Way flyover and Sammamish River, citizen leaders, activists, and staff say “Fine, but do it in an environmentally responsible way.” We urge everyone in Redmond to carefully consider the unintended consequences of proposed 520 widening to our safety and welfare; flood hazards are a central issue. The project would fill & build 4 additional lanes into the flood plain – this, at a time with Olympia is recognizing “climate change” impacts to highway flooding. Potential life threatening flood hazards combined with destruction of endangered, listed species habitat creates critical concerns about the WSDOT plan. However, all parties agree to the value of a road widening to 8-lanes.

On January 8, 2008 our Redmond city attorney gave notice to Ben Brown at WSDOT regarding WSDOT’s refusal to apply for a “buffer variance”. WSDOT plans to encroach up to 100 feet into Redmond’s Critical Area buffer breaking our city land use laws.

The City’s solution is to meander Bear Creek to the north and away from SR 520; but that’s $10M WSDOT doesn’t have. Mayor Marchione, Councilmembers Cole and Allen, and Staff Managers Beam, Spangler, and Cairns. have been outspoken and supportive of alternatives. Spangler indicates $2.5M could be funded through city grants. Cole and Allen traveled to Olympia. Citizens and students are writing letters to their State Representatives.

NEWS FLASH: State Representative Ross Hunter corresponded on 1/27/08: “ We are working on trying to fix this”. Rep. Hunter is the Finance Committee Chairperson. There is hope!

You can help by writing your State representatives or State Transportation Committee Chairperson: Representative Judy Clibborn of Mercer Island.

Stay tuned....

Thanks to Gary Smith, past Trails Commissioner, for creating and producing the the 520 flood video clip and organizing citizenry participation. 

UPDATE: The lanes were later widened with embankments to keep 520 from flooding and protect the Bear Creek riparian and stream.   BY, 12/13/19

video clip of flooding onto SR520 floodplain

Click HERE to view a video clip of flooding along the north bank of Bear Creek -- only 20 feet from the SR520 freeway in Redmond, WA.  - Video contributed by Gary Smith, past Trails commissioner. The clip was videoed from Gary's car driving west on SR520 towards West Lake Sammamish Blvd. About a minute long. 

12/13/2007