neighborhood villages

"Bedmond" is the new Redmond  ?? PRE-APPLICATION LAND-2018-00869, LMC Marymoor   Neighborhood:   Southeast Redmond near future Marymoor Transit Station  Description:   Proposal to construct (1) six story and (2) five story multi-family residential buildings with commercial space  Location:   17611 NE 70th Street Applicant:   Rocky Flores with Encore Architects Prior Review Date:   09/12/18, 12/06/18 & 12/20/18 Staff Contact:   David Lee, 425-556-2462 or  dlee@redmond.gov Review Materials :   Memo     Materials Click "Materials" and "Memo" for pictures and details of the proposed buildings. In regards to staff review and comments, staff believes the changes meets the intent of the goal of exhibiting �eclecticism� .  (What do you "believe?) "The mix of materials, the unique building shape/massing, and art interventions serve to make a statement gateway to the young Marymoor ...

Could something like this happen here? Maybe. Internet  Updated 1/29, 1:01 PM Quadrant is working with the City to develop "Business District" property at the intersection of NE 124th Street and Willows Road on the Southwest corner . Here goes.  The Applicant (Fred Proctor) is proposing a mixed-use development consisting of approximately 370 residential units with a variety of housing types that would include for-sale townhomes, triplex and traditional for-rent apartment style dwellings. The development would also include a minimum of 20,000 sq. ft. of ground-level or stand-alone retail or commercial space , to include neighborhood-scale commercial uses, office, and/or day care center uses. Transportation:   Willows Road is already congested and traffic is poor here but Council member Myers calls the development "a ten minute community" where many of the residents can work nearby, I assume keeping some cars off the road, and with shopping at Totem Lake.  A necessar...

Marymoor Village Community Center retreat location Council President Angela Birney announced in this week's Study Session the annual Council retreat will be Saturday, February 9th, 9-3 pm. The retreat location is Marymoor Village community center. Though it's open to the public only to watch , I for one will be joining others planting trees and shrubs in Idylwood Park.  Council member Hank Myers suggested the last 2-3 hours should be private so Council can discuss various City issues of concern without staff around.  Council goals:  Hank Myers wants to instill agility and creativity.   Steve Fields wants to enhance community involvement at every level.  He asked to "spend less time being taught and more time discussing."  Jeralee Anderson wants to understand roles and responsibilities (mayor/council/staff.)  Hank Margeson wants to provide a free form discussion. Police Chief Kristi Wilson said each City director will be next to a poster board fa...

"Finance, Administration and Communication" Council meeting talking points: The City Website :   Phase One involved community outreach and is complete.  Phase Two is underway and involves building out the design.  90% of the design is done with 5,000 pages reduced to 1500 pages.  (This just gives you and idea how outdated this website is; many of us have been asking for a new website for almost a decade.)  In response to Council member Steve Fields' question about how many employees were involved in Phase Two, Communications Director Lisa Mayre said 50 staff representing all departments participated in the updates.  12- 15 "super users" from planning and land use played a major role.  Mr. Myers asked for Search engine improvements.  Apparently, we'll have them. (I get better luck on google.)  We can expect more photos and videos too. Launch month is February. Neighborhood Conversations :    Jill Smith is now a member of the Com...

Melissa Files, Director of City Finance reported this Tuesday that similar to the prior month, "revenue spiked 6% over target while expenditures were 3% under target.  Ms. Files indicated the reasons for this favorable report were similar to earlier monthly reports, as follows: She stated: "Sales tax on construction took a big jump to $5 million in December. Usually it's in the $2.3 million range.  Everything that has to do with development review - taxes, licensing, and permits - contributed to the favorable outcome."  Council member Steve Fields said "It looked like there were 4 months similar to what you described.  Does this begin to present a trend?"  Files answered, "Yes," that she was anticipating this in her forecast for 2019 but didn't expect it this soon.  Mr. Fields said "I appreciate this vigilance because I think it's important to our decision-making to know where we're at on our revenue projections."  Files said...

Help plant over 60 trees and 400 shrubs and groundcovers at Idylwood Park . The plantings contribute to the restoration of areas where previous cottonwood tree removals occurred. Tools and supplies will be provided, and no experience needed! All ages are welcome! Volunteers who are under 18 and are attending without a parent or guardian, please bring a signed youth waiver with you. Saturday, February 9th, 9:00 - Noon.  Location:  Idylwood Park.    For details and to RSVP go HERE .

The following "New York Times" article by Karen Weise on Microsoft's pledge was published on January 16th,2019: https://nyti.ms/2RWTaya?smid= nytcore-ios-share The author summarizes and ends her article with: �This is where Microsoft is going to be, and the region needs to work,� Ms. Balducci said. �I don�t think this is wholly altruism.� Claudia Balducci, a member of the King County Council who helps lead the Regional Affordable Housing Task Force.   -- Bob Yoder

LWPTSA Council Endorses and Supports LWSD Levy At the January 2019 general membership meeting, the LWPTSA Council voted to endorse and support the LWSD Capital Projects Levy on the April 23rd ballot. The LWSD levy addresses immediate capacity needs and district-wide safety measures. If passed, the levy authorizes a six-year levy totaling $120 million or an average of $20 million per year for six years. The levy maintains the current tax rate with no rate increase.  Levy projects include:  Classroom additions at Lake Washington High School, including auxiliary gyms and commons Classroom additions at Carson Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Rose Hill Elementary, and Twain Elementary, including expansion of core facilities where feasible Critical safety projects, including adding exterior security cameras at elementary schools and entry modifications for security at Eastlake, Redmond and Lake Washington High Schools. (Juanita High School's entry modifications will be added during ...

Eugene Zakhareyev If you follow Redmond city politics, I have a newsflash for you - at the next meeting, the City Council will consider moratorium! There has been a lot of development in the last decade, and many residents asked the council and the mayor whether Redmond should take a break and evaluate the impacts of new buildings in Downtown and Overlake. So surely the Council plans to address these impacts? They are finally listening, and new developments will have to pay for the development! No more school district levies & bonds, or tax increases, no more new multi-story buildings replacing one story plazas and driving small businesses out of town! But if you followed Redmond local politics for some time, you already know the answer. The moratorium is not targeting developers. The Council instead is concerned about �the triple density bonus for Retirement Residences with assisted living facilities in residential zones�. Yep, those pesky seniors invading our residential areas wi...

Gary Smith teaching restoration at Idylwood Park / Credit Forterra In August 2017, two separate large cottonwood tree limb failures occurred at Idylwood Park. The City hired a contractor to remove fourteen hazardous cottonwood trees in October 2018.   Two remaining hazardous trees have been pruned or are currently being evaluated. Restoration Plantings:  Restoration of the Idylwood Park tree removal areas will occur February � March 2019.   A community volunteer replanting event will tentatively take place on Saturday, February 9 . Volunteers and City staff will plant trees, shrubs, groundcovers... Source:  Council business meeting, 1/15 memo Bob Yoder

Below are two pictures of Redmond's Centennial "ERRATIC" art installation.  It was constructed with railroad plates to recognize Redmond's status as a railroad town.  It's called ERRATIC to recognize that glaciers shaped Redmond.  Erratics are huge boulders left behind by glaciers.   At the January 8th Council meeting Staff announced owing to light rail the ERRATIC will be moved from it's present location on 166th near Redmond Town Center to "Gilman Landing" south of the Matador near Leary Way.  Sound Transit will pay $576,000 for its re-location.  The City will move it....a laborious job. The original cost to the City for the art was $115,000.   Bob Yoder

During last night's Study Session on "streamlining zoning and regulations for Senior Housing" Council V.P David Carson recommended "a short pause of about six months" (moratorium) in the development of senior housing so Council can have the opportunity to evaluate certain aspects of the code without risk of further development, so we can trust the Administration in the spirit of our intent."  Mr. Carson proposed an Ordinance to this effect and recommended discussion at the next business meeting. Marymoor Village Neighborhood: Marymoor Subarea of SE Redmond According to the Design Review Board's report on the LMC- Marymoor project the Redmond Zoning Code is silent on how the goal of Marymoor Village will be different from the Downtown neighborhood. The Design Board wrote "it should be funkier, cooler, eclectic, and different looking than Downtown. Thus, these ideas need a great deal of attention from the Design Review Board." Council is placi...

The City of Redmond collects a lodging tax of 1% on each overnight stay at Redmond hotels and allocates these revenues to the Lodging Tax Fund. The purpose of the Lodging Tax Fund (�tourism fund�) is to increase tourism in Redmond by attracting visitors� especially overnight visitors who stay in Redmond hotels�by funding the marketing or operation of special events, festivals and tournaments. The tourism matching grant program is intended to provide opportunities for potential partners to bring events and festivals to the Redmond community. The City received 17 grant applications from non-profit and for-profit organizations, in response to the annual matching grant applications request announcement. Applications are reviewed against the program fund criteria including: tourism promotion, benefit to the community, innovation, community support, evidence of partnerships, scale of the project, other funding sources, and new or ongoing funding. The Lodging Tax Fund Advisory Committee is re...

Looking north from Redmond Center parking lot - future 158th Ave. NE extension here. Soulfood is on left The City of Redmond and the owners (Nelsons) of Redmond Center wish to enter into a Development Agreement to define the improvements to the extension of 158th Avenue NE from NE 83rd Street to the intersection of Redmond Way, and to clarify the obligations and requirements for utility services for future developments of the multiple parcels at Redmond Center. In August 2013, City Council adopted the 2013 Transportation Master Plan and directed the Administration to pursue the completion of the downtown street grid.  One of these streets is 158th Avenue NE, which currently terminates at the existing parking lot of the Redmond Center shopping center near Ben Franklin.  As of 2018, the acquisition and improvement of the 158th Avenue NE extension is an unfunded project in the Redmond Transportation Master Plan. The property owners (Nelsons) of 2 Redmond Center have agreed to de...

I'm experiencing technical difficulties in posting Angela's headshot.  Regrets.  To see her picture "Read More"   Angela Birney's Experience Local Redmond City Council President Redmond City Councilmember Redmond Parks and Trails Committee Chair LWSF Junior High Science Grants and Grant Review Norman Rockwell PTA Lake Washington School District Boundary Review Regional Hopelink Board Chair King County Board of Health, Sound Cities (SCA) Caucus Chair Regional Policy Committee, SCA Member Cascade Water Alliance Board, Secretary/Treasurer Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Advisory Committee Eastside Transportation Partnership SCA Public Issues Committee Alternate Redmond Nourishing Networks Governing for Regional Equity and Inclusion Working Group Member Education BAE Biology, MEd Professional Development Leadership Eastside Class of 2017 Leadership Eastside Executive Insight 2018 Angela Birney Position #5 - President, City Council Term Expires 12/31/19 Email:  abir...