News and Opinion on Neighborhoods, Schools and Local Governments of Redmond, WA.
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
"Redmond Center" 8-Story Twin Towers To Break Ground Mid-2022
Sammamish River Water Trail Kayak Canoe Paddle Board, Redmond To Kenmore
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Buffering Between The "Homeless Hotel" and "Others" In Redmond Isn't Possible
Silver Cloud Inn, Redmond, WA. |
On November 23, 2021, Director Carol Helland of Planning and Community Development gave an excellent presentation to Council on the Homeless Hotel "Occupancy Agreement" between Redmond and King County.
The agreement governs five areas to which the Operator (hotel manager) will give input.
- Program rules
- Code of conduct
- Safety and security
- Parking management
- Community relations plan
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
5-Story Apartment Project Proposed At Kimmel Athletic Supply
What is your Vision for 2050? Does this project satisfy your dreams? |
The "Redmond 87" project (video) proposes one five-story mixed-use building of 177,454 square feet with one level of below grade parking on the site. The project is in the pre-application phase.
The building will include 134 residential units, including 13 affordable units, consisting of studio, one, and two-bedroom floor plans, and approximately 7,900 sf of retail space. [Why not 3BR units for families?]
The project provides community open space in the form of a second story courtyard. The courtyard is complimented by a rooftop lounge, and deck. Both the courtyard and deck will include landscaping, and seating for residents.
The location is: 16101 NE 87th Street. About a 10 minute walk to the Redmond Transit Station.
The flat, rectangular parcel currently has a single one-story building which is home to a Goodyear Auto Service, as well as the old Kimmel Athletic Supply that is currently hosting the Friends of Youth as a temporary tenant. The site is neighbored by the Bella Bottega shopping center to the north, a three-story office building to the south, the proposed redeveloped Together Center to the east, and Modera Apartments to the west.
-- Bob Yoder, 11/23/2021, Source: Design Review Board memo
376-Unit Development Planned In Anderson Park Zone
"Porch + Park" Multi-Use Building Plans "Green Roof Porch"
Monday, November 22, 2021
UPDATED: COVID Funding At Lake Washington School District
During COVID, some staff worked exceptionally hard and were heroes, others had less timely jobs and were paid beyond their need. For example, why would you need a full-time Director for Certified Talent Acquisition during COVID? His salary is ~ $177,150. (There are five other HR Directors.)
During the November 15th LWSD school board meeting, Chief Financial Officer Barbara Posthumous presented the annual "Legislative Priorities" report. She rattled off some interesting statistics, including shortfalls to be made up by taxpayers.
LWSD fully funds Special Education, In 2021 - 2022 the District shortfall was $18M. 26% of the Levy covers this shortfall- Despite federal COVID "ESSER" funding, the District had to use additional $6.5M carryover for funding COVID.
- COVID expenses to the District were $14M. The State and Feds funded $8M. (21-22)
- Counsellors: State FTE 61. District FTE 73
- RN, Psychologists, Mental health specialists, State FTE 7, District FTE 37
- Student Safety: State 6 FTE, District 73 FTE. The District pays excessive amounts on safety as compared to other Districts.
- The feds awarded ESSER funds of $409.64/pupil for a total of $12,756,000. The grant is exceptionally below the State average owing to the District's "free and reduced lunch" poverty data. North Shore, Mercer Island, and Issaquah Districts also received low funding.
- Health and Safety
- Staff and Support - exceptional Director compensation
- Remote Learning
- Materials
- Curriculum
- Instructional Support for Children in Quarantine.
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
lwsd
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32.5 minutes
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Friday, November 12, 2021
Community Conversations -November 8, 2021
Thursday, November 11, 2021
UPDATED: Evans Creek Relocation Improves Fish Habitat, Makes Redevelopment Feasible
City engineer Emily Flanagan gave Council an overview of the Evans Creek Relocation project November 9th 2021. She quoted a total cost of the project at $18,450,000. Grants totaled $850,000. In 2013, $910,868 was approved for a relocation consultant at a Council regular meeting
Thus, the total price tag for relocation, including grants is 18,510,868 (not counting legal fees from lawsuits with "Union Shares." The $910,868 was paid for a preliminary design and to secure permits to relocate 3500 feet of Evans Creek channel out of SE Redmond Industrial area into adjacent open space to the north and east.
BENEFIT: Redevelopment of some aspects of SE Redmond Industrial will be economically feasible with removal of the stream and buffer from it's present location. In addition, passive recreation along the Bear-Evans Creek trail to Perrigo Park will be enhanced since the new channel will share the same open space with the trail.
BENEFIT: Evans Creek is a Class One salmon bearing stream but is impacted by adjacent industrial development with untreated run-off and untreed, paved buffers less than 50 feet wide in some places. Class One stream buffers are supposed to be 200 feet wide but 50 foot buffers have been grandfathered in SE Industrial Redmond. Evans Creek Relocation is listed as a priority in the WRIA 8 Chinook Conservation Plan owing to the wealth of habitat in the upper reaches of Evans Creek. With the relocation Chinook and Coho will be able to swim from the confluence of Bear-Evans Creeks to the upper reaches of the watershed.
According to Ms. Flanagan, the project will take two summers to complete. Expected completion time is 2024.
In 2013 it was estimated the total cost for the relocation is $7.6 Million and is funded by City of Redmond Capital Improvement Projects fund. That's a far cry from $18M. CM David Carson didn't give the source of the funds.
-- Bob Yoder, 2013 Council memo, 11/9/2021, Council Committee meeting.
It's about time (2021) Evans is relocated away from this industrial mess! |
Years past, I was obsessed by the filth draining into Evans Creek. It's one of the reasons I decided to blog. Years ago, I arranged a tour of the site for KCC Kathy Lambert, CM David Carson, and CM Hank Myers. Jon Spangler, the City Natural Resources Manager gave the tour. I thought they were interested in the pollution but it was more than that. Myers and Carson left the tour early when we got close to the All Wood Recycling office. B.Y.
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Creativity Abounds In Campaign Signs This Year
We enjoyed lots of creativity and flourish in Council candidate signs this year! My favorite was Tara's. Absolutely loved the colors and design! She was handily defeated by incumbent Jeralee Anderson. Jeralee scattered an abundance of signs all over the City. Her bicycle logo looks pretty cute 😉. My wife really liked Janet Richards flowered, green sign with the tag " Redmond Thrives When Everyone Thrives." Janet lost to incumbent Steve Fields in a big way. Steve staked his standard 2-tone, blue wavy sign everywhere.
Incumbency aside, it seems quantity rules over quality. I'm always amazed how quickly candidates remove their signs.
-- Bob Yoder, 11/9/2021
City Replaces Idylwood Park Dock, Designs New Restroom, Concession, And Activity Building
- Renovate the existing concession and restroom building and explore the feasibility of a water activity building within the park (i.e.; programmable space and/or meeting space, boat storage, maintenance support area, deck or patio).
- Increase on-site parking to 80-90 spaces and manage parking lot surface drainage to enhance water quality. Provide access to “car top” non-motorized boat launch area.
- Reinforce the pedestrian crossing at 177th Ave NE and West Lake Sammamish Parkway.
More than 20 years later, these facilities are now in dire need of replacement. The concession and restroom building replacement is a necessary structural and safety improvement and an opportunity to consider inclusion of water activity amenities in the building.
The Idylwood Park dock will be replaced with aluminum materials. Improvements include a non-slip surface, ADA compliant handrails for fishing activities, and a new swim ladder. The new dock replaces the original structure built in the 1970’s.
King County Aims To Mandate 30-Day Notice Before Re-purposing Hotels For Homeless Shelters
SafeEastside.com |
County Councilmember Dunn aims to mandate public comment, 30-day notice before King County can re-purpose hotels into homeless shelters.
King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Tuesday introduced an ordinance that would require King County to notify the public before purchasing a hotel for use as a homeless shelter, supported housing, or similar housing option.
“It is not good government for King County to make hugely impactful land use decisions by siting large homeless shelters without first providing full transparency to the public. The impacted communities, including residents and the municipal governments that represent them must all have a chance to provide public comment in advance of the decision being unilaterally made by King County,” Dunn said. “My legislation provides a simple fix to that problem by putting it in King County code that the government must notify the public before siting a shelter in their community.”
Dunn’s legislation would provide the opportunity for public comment in advance of all such purchases by requiring a public notice to be circulated in a local newspaper at least 30 days before the purchase takes place in order to inform the impacted community of the location of the property; the purpose for which King County intends to use it; the funding source proposed the purchase it; information on how the public may provide comment; and the name and phone number of the King County person of contact.
Since May of this year, King County has purchased nine hotels across King County to use as housing for the chronically homeless, including sites in Auburn, Federal Way, Seattle, Redmond, and Renton, and plans to purchase three more hotels by the end of the year.
According to King County’s 2020 Point in Time Count, 64% of the chronically homeless reported that they are battling a substance use disorder and 73% reported battling a mental illness. Past placement of people with untreated addiction and mental illness has impacted the safety of the surrounding communities and businesses.
The ordinance will be referred to the Committee of the Whole.
-- King County Press Release, 11/9/2021
Monday, November 8, 2021
City Prepares For Winter Conditions
Friday, November 5, 2021
UPDATED OPINION, 11/7/2021: What Will Redmond Look Like In 2050?
Guy emphasized the importance of "promenades" for connecting a hierarchy of streets. Promenades are not boulevards but important avenues with canopy and wider (20')sidewalks. The Parks Director and Mayor Ives talked with excitement about street-side cafes, book stores, spilling over onto wider sidewalk promenades. (Thank you COVID for the later.)
Guy suggested improving the "green ring" along the Sammamish River by softening the eastern slope of the river with a more gradual grade to "get out of the ditch". He suggested building a bike/running trail on the west side to allow for more passive activities on the eastern slope. He thought Luke McRedmond Park had great potential. [He failed to point out King County has jurisdiction over the river corridor.]
Mayor Birney and Council, please zone for greater use of promenades, wider sidewalks and bike lanes, specifically in the Nelson Master Plan and SE Redmond Neighborhood (where new schools are planned.) Thank you. B. Yoder
READ MORE for the abridged Berger report and my opinion:
Thursday, November 4, 2021
City Council Approves 5% COLA
Redmond City Council approved a 5% Cost of Living salary increase for union employees Effective January 1, 2022, (Staff quoted 6.5% as the true rate of inflation.) Many thanks to Mayor Birney and Council for their transparency on this topic! The Council took time to ask some very good questions. In the past, union salary plans were buried in the Consent Agenda and never pulled for discussion.
Per employee visibility, the following are a few maximum salaries:
- Planner, $104,232
- Principal Planner, $131,076
- Senior Planner, $118,614
- Communications & Marketing Project Administrator, $109,164
- Senior Engineer, $141,660
- Administrative Assistant, $71,360
- Communications & Marketing Specialist, $97,824
- Environmental Sustainability Program Manager, $101,736
- Senior Building Inspector, $107,376
- Senior Accountant, $99,636
- Senior Purchasing Agent, $109,044
- Recreation Program Administrator, $104,408