| ||||
| ||||
|
Monday, March 4, 2019
Updates of school projects funded by the 2016 bond
Idylwood Park Restoration Planting
Idylwood Park Restoration Planting – A Community Event
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY March 4, 2019
CONTACT Lisa Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager
lmaher@redmond.gov
425-556-2427
CONTACT Lisa Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager
lmaher@redmond.gov
425-556-2427
Redmond, WA – The community is invited to participate in the planting of over 60 trees and 400 shrubs and groundcovers at Idylwood Park, located at 3650 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, on Saturday, March 16 from 9 a.m. – noon. The plantings will mitigate and restore areas where Cottonwood trees were previously removed.
Volunteers will help plant and mulch the restoration areas. The event is being coordinated through the Green Redmond Partnership. Please sign up at www.greenredmond.org so we can be certain to have adequate tools and supplies.
For questions and more information contact Lisa Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager, at lmaher@redmond.gov or 425-556-2427. This press release is available on www.redmond.gov.
On March 4th, GreenRedmond published the event as "full."
On March 4th, GreenRedmond published the event as "full."
Friday, March 1, 2019
Mayor gives report of snow storm clean-up
Correction: The March 9th event has been cancelled
Storm Debris Collection Events
Kritzer announces candidacy for Redmond council
Redmond planning commissioner Vanessa Kritzer announced she will be running for Redmond City Council,
Pos. 5. Kritzer is a first-time candidate for office. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Kritzer Facebook.
Kritzer announces candidacy for Redmond council
She will run for Pos. 5 in the election.
Redmond planning commissioner Vanessa Kritzer has announced that she will be running for Redmond City Council, Pos. 5.
“I’m running for City Council because I want to ensure that as Redmond grows it can continue to be a thriving, accessible, and inclusive place for our children and future generations,” she said in a press release. “I will work to bring people together to make progress on building affordable housing, providing transportation options that meet all our needs, and protecting our environment. In my career, I have worked to drive innovation that empowers citizens and public sector organizations to take action for meaningful impact. On the City Council, I hope to continue that work and promise to ask tough questions, engage Redmond’s residents, and use a data-driven approach to policy making that helps Redmond become a truly smart city.”
Kritzer lives in downtown Redmond with her husband and young daughter, according to the release. She has worked for environmental and human rights nonprofit organizations, including the League of Conservation Voters. She currently works at Microsoft, where she has focused on public sector technology that helps make cities and communities healthier, safer and more sustainable, the release states.
Kritzer holds master of business administration and master of public administration degrees from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business and Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, according to the release. During graduate school, she was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to serve as the student member of the University of Washington board of regents.
Kritzer is a first-time candidate for office. In addition to her position as a Redmond planning commissioner, she currently serves on the board of directors for the Anti-Defamation League – Pacific Northwest and the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington.
###
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Letter to the Editor of the "Redmond Reporter"
Looming taxes continue to burden property owners | Letter
Looming taxes continue to burden property owners
In the City Council’s committee meeting on Oct. 23 Melisa Files, director of finance, reported:
1) Revenues were up by 5 percent of target and
2) Expenditures were 4 percent below target
So “we are in a nice place to be” says Ms. Files.
Yes we are, many thanks to the “surge in permitting fees” from development and a “one-time construction tax,” according to Files.
Historically, the city has assessed property owners the state’s maximum allowable 1 percent property tax. But times have changed and the city is swimming in revenue like never before from the massive development of our downtown and Overlake urban centers.
Owing to this unprecedented growth the city of Redmond should change their practices and forgo the 1 percent property tax this year. Residents are already burdened by looming school district taxes and an April King County Public Hospital District 2 tax initiative, among other taxes.
It’s time the city tightens their belt.
Bob Yoder
[The City went ahead and implemented the 1% tax. A $125M school district "Capital Projects Levy" measure will be on the April ballot. King County Public Hospital District 2 is EvergreenHealth. Evergreen's April $325M bond measure is for seismic retrofits.]
[The City went ahead and implemented the 1% tax. A $125M school district "Capital Projects Levy" measure will be on the April ballot. King County Public Hospital District 2 is EvergreenHealth. Evergreen's April $325M bond measure is for seismic retrofits.]
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
OneRedmond's housing initiative will help middle-income residents
 |
| Internet |
According to a recent report by "Challenge Seattle," home prices have risen nearly 60 percent in the past decade, three times the national growth rate. Housing prices are seven times the median income in King County, and nearly 40 percent of middle income households find themselves cost burdened by housing. The result is that a middle income household can no longer afford to rent, let alone buy, a home in most of the county’s zip codes. This, in turn, has implications for a community’s quality of life, workforce retention and attraction and overall vitality.
OneRedmond has responded to these challenges by launching a "Workforce Housing" initiative that has a goal of securing 1,000 units of workforce housing in Redmond in five years.
“Workforce housing” is housing that middle-income households could typically afford when earning 60–120 percent of the region’s median household income of $89,700 (i.e., $53,800 – $107,600). This initiative emphasizes taking intentional action to preserve existing workforce housing and increase the availability of new workforce housing by increasing opportunities for land for housing construction; streamlining regulatory and other requirements that impact housing construction costs, and supporting creation of financing mechanisms to support workforce housing options."
Source: Redmond Council Study Session memo, 2/26/19
Monday, February 25, 2019
The qualities, schools and employers of Redmond, WA.
Qualities
"Known for its natural beauty, the city is unique in that residents have access to 34 parks and over 25 miles of trails, but can also reach downtown Seattle in 20 minutes. Redmond also hosts live music, film, theater and a variety of other arts for every taste. Outdoor sculpture can be seen throughout the city.
The Redmond Arts and Culture Program includes over 100 artworks around the City of Redmond. Explore the City of Redmond's art collection in a new way. The program currently maintains a public art mobile app for the City's permanently-installed outdoor art collection. The app is called STQRY (pronounced "story") and is available for free on iOS, Android and Windows 8 operating systems."
Various video errors and omissions: Starbucks isn't headquartered here but their barista's are-a-plenty. Of course, Microsoft is headquartered here. Nintendo, Rocket Research, Digipen and Striker/Physio-Control are headquartered here. A division of Facebook is planning a move to Willows Road. Amazon, Expedia and Google in Redmond?
Schools: Along with Rockwell El and Einstein El. other Education Hill elementary schools include: Clara Barton, Redmond Elementary, and Horace Mann.
The City communications department is re-designing their website and some of the text may be out of date, particularly the STQRK app and the number or artworks. This real estate video is dated. It's the best one I could find for our community and I hope the City will make one of their own. We are due.
-- Bob Yoder
Video: Murray Franklin
Schools: Along with Rockwell El and Einstein El. other Education Hill elementary schools include: Clara Barton, Redmond Elementary, and Horace Mann.
The City communications department is re-designing their website and some of the text may be out of date, particularly the STQRK app and the number or artworks. This real estate video is dated. It's the best one I could find for our community and I hope the City will make one of their own. We are due.
-- Bob Yoder
Video: Murray Franklin
Friday, February 22, 2019
Council President Angela Birney is running for Mayor
Council President Angela Birney began serving her first term on Council in 2016. Prior to Council she chaired the Parks and Trails Committee. Among many other activities, she represents the City of Redmond on the Cascade Water Alliance, the King County Board of Health, and King County Regional Policy Committee and Redmond's Disability board. She also serves as an alternate representative on the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee and the Eastside Transportation Partnership. Find her candidate website and Facebook page here.
Source: redmond.gov
Small business owner Andrew Koeppen is running for Mayor
Mr. Koeppen has lived in Redmond 19 years and has been a U.S. citizen for one year. Andrew was the first to announce he's running for Mayor of Redmond. He's attentive to community safety, publishing a popular Facebook disaster preparedness site called "Eastside Ready." He organizes community "disaster preparedness" events held at the library. He's actively involved with police and fire safety. He's especially upset by the city wasting electricity by leaving the lights on at City Hall. Here is his website and facebook page
-- Bob Yoder
-- Bob Yoder
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
UPDATED OPINION: The next Mayor we elect needs to plan for "us," not just "them."
All these "Redmond Center" small businesses will be demolished
Construction of this roughly 600-unit, multi-family apartment project is set to start in the summer 2020. Several other massive projects are planned for the downtown in the near future. Which mayoral candidate do you want to manage the city during this turbulent time?
-- Bob Yoder, opinion
Note: A friend stated: "the 6-story ground-level places intended for small businesses to move into are nearly quadruple the current rental / lease prices. Some of the businesses say it would be $9K/month + just to lease a space. That doesn't include renovating the space to fit their business, or any of the other moving expenses."
Monday, February 18, 2019
Downtown "Redmond Square" small businesses may be demolished
"Redmond Square"
Almost every small business you see here could be demolished for a mammoth mixed-use development. I'm not sure when demolition and construction will begin.
Development description:
Mixed-use development consisting of approx. 580 residential units in 5-stories of type VA construction over one level of above grade Type IA structure with retail, restaurants, lobby and amenity spaces. 2 below grade levels of Type IA parking structure. The project is to be bisected by a new mid-block pedestrian street.
-- Amy Tarce, City planner / Project Viewer
The project is bound by Redmond Way, 166th Ave NE, Cleveland Street and Key Bank to the West. The "Anderson Hotel" (Hilton) (under construction) is visible on the left as we drive down Redmond Way. Parcel Numbers: 1225059133, 1225059030, 1225059142, 1225059031, 1225059055,1225059263, 1225059157,1225059156, 1225059080, 1225059090,1225059221, 1225059075.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
UPDATED: LWSD plans $20,750,000 land sale
Rose Hill Property was acquired many years ago to use for a potential school site.
After the property was acquired, the City of Redmond approved an ordinance requiring that the
location of a school have a significant setback from the gas pipeline (500 feet) on the eastern side of
the property. Using the 500-foot set back from the property line results in City of Redmond code not
permitting a school to be constructed within about 70% of the property. The District would be left
with usable area of approximately 3.21 acres which is about 30% of the property. The remaining
buildable area would not support the construction of a school.In accordance with law, the district obtained an appraisal that concluded the fair market value of the property was $11,925,000. The District, with the assistance of a real estate broker, marketed the sale of the property which continued into early 2019. Many local and national developers expressed interest in purchasing the property.
The District entered into a Vacant Land Purchase and Sale Agreement with DR Horton, subject to seller and buyer contingencies, to sell the property for $20,750,000.
It is expected it will take approximately 15 months for the buyer to obtain plat approval from the City of Redmond with a closing to occur in the summer of 2020. The funds from the sale of the property will be reserved for future property acquisition.
Source: 2/19/19 Board Packet
Of note: The gas trunk-line is "a stone's throw" east of Rose Hill Middle School.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)