Critical Area Ordinance Hearing, Public Comment

Redmond's Great Blue Heron / credit John Reinke 
Sammamish River 

Hello Planning Commissioners:

I only caught part of your meeting last night, but it sounds like the State is requiring updates to the Critical Area Ordinance? 

As a college educated biologist -- similar to Mayor Angela Birney -- Critical Areas are important to me.   In the Ives Administration, I made "Species of Local Importance" and "Habitat of Local Importance" comments to the Planning Commission chaired by Mr. Snodgrass.  After much discussion, the commission decided on the Great Blue Heron (GBH) and Riparian habitat in which it lives.   

During Mayor Marchione's first term he proclaimed "Riparian as city Habitat of Importance".  In that Proclamation, he designated Riparian buffer protections for Class I  streams; Riparian is regulated.  (Check with Principle Planner Cathy Beam or the Public Records Dept. to verify.)    

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.  Developers will use riparian as an amenity.  The cultural significance of riparian was unveiled when Lower Bear Creek was relocated and restored onto Indian lands dating back 10,000 years.  

  

The Snodgrass commission decided on the GBH as the city Species of Local Importance, without protections or any regulations.  I think, unless you change things, the GBH species designation is purely symbolic.  What tremendous cultural significance this wader bird brings to our city --  Redmond's LOGO of course, RTC's illuminated heron art, The Redmond & Marymoor rookeries, nature, education, beauty, and visible abundance. You know this!

I'm not sure where you are in the decision-making process.  Our natural environment could be the most significant asset we have in this city. Please continue to protect our critical Riparian habit and make provisions to celebrate the Big Bird.  

Respectfully,  

Bob Yoder 

written comment

meeting video, 4/10/2024

Cathy Beam, Redmond's environmental planner of 30 years announced her retirement at this meeting.  Cathy guided Redmond through the difficult years of  subdivisions, preliminary plats, master plans, public works projects, open space, and business development.  A kind, beloved professional, she will be missed and remembered.   

Redmond Technology Bridge Opens, Ribbon Cutting

 

From left to right: Redmond City Council Vice President Jessica Forsythe, Redmond City Councilmember Melissa Stuart, Former Redmond Mayor John Marchione, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Microsoft Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Vice President Alice Jolla, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, Redmond City Council President Vanessa Kritzer, Redmond City Councilmember Osman Salahuddin, and King County Councilmember and Sound Transit Board Member Claudia Balducci.

New Redmond Technology Station Bridge Opens

REDMOND, WA - This morning, the City of Redmond, Sound Transit, and Microsoft celebrated the opening of the new Redmond Technology Station Bridge with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The bridge connects to Sound Transit’s Redmond Technology light rail station, the SR 520 transit flyer stop, a regional bike trail, and Microsoft’s west and east campuses. It also provides an east-west trail connection across SR 520, that will alleviate traffic congestion, enhance safety, and improve accessibility for thousands of residents and commuters daily.

“This bridge will be a great benefit to the community and connect us in a number of sustainable ways, with lanes for those who want to walk and ride their bikes,” said Redmond Mayor Angela Birney. “It is thanks to our partnerships with Microsoft, Sound Transit, and WSDOT, that we have this new, not only functional, but beautiful connection to enjoy.”

The design of the bridge is the result of meticulous and innovative planning, as well as the unique efforts between Sound Transit, City of Redmond, and Microsoft. The bridge was designed by AECOM and engineered by Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc., and features functional canopies, landscaped planters with native plants, and benches to enhance the user experience.

“The Redmond Technology Station will be a hub for transit passengers and Microsoft workers throughout the Eastside,” said King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine. “Thanks to the collaboration of our project partners, we’re expanding transit for a more connected Puget Sound region.”

"With light rail service only days away, opening this bike and pedestrian bridge will safely connect transit passengers from the Redmond Technology Station to Microsoft, the SR 520 Trail, and more, providing yet another link to our growing light rail system,” said King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci. “This connection is the result of years-long collaboration between Sound Transit, WSDOT, Microsoft, and the City of Redmond and is an integral piece of building an interconnected transit system that makes multimodal travel easy, safe, and seamless.” 

“Today’s grand opening is an important milestone in the effort to create a multimodal transportation system that supports the region's economy and quality of life,” said Alice Jolla, chief accounting officer and corporate vice president at Microsoft. “This bridge is a symbol of Microsoft’s commitment to our local community, and we’re grateful for the collaboration with the City of Redmond, Sound Transit, and Washington State Department of Transportation.”

The bridge opening aligns with opening week of the initial segment of the 2 Line, with those celebrations planned for Saturday, April 27. For more information about the light rail opening visit soundtransit.org/Discover2Line.

City Dog Park Opens On Education Hill

 

Zoey getting ready to enter the small dog side

The new Redmond Pop-Up dog park is located behind the Hartman pool and high school baseball field.  Follow the signs on 104th for limited parking; it's easily walkable.  

We talked to Parks staff when it was under construction.  Brett Barker 😀 said it will be closed late August to make room for the high school cross country races.  Zoey romped happily today with two large dogs!  We had nice chats with their owners too!  

See you there!

-- B. Yoder, 4/19/2024

Council Review Of "The Homeless Hotel" And Plymouth Housing

Video of Council's Safety & Human Services Committee Meeting, 8/16/2024

Notable viewing stops:  

Min 18:15 - Police Chief's Quarterly Activity Update (text)

Min 40:00 - Start of the Permanent Supportive Housing Update (text)

Min 45:35 - Emergency role of the Health Through Housing homeless hotel. 

Min 47:50 - Community Advisory Group

Min 56:55 - Council Policy 

Min 1:07:10 - Councilmember Steve Fields' Dialogue with Director Helland

Presently, there are no kitchenettes in the homeless hotel.  

Councilmember Melissa Stuart says the public's robust conversations with Council years ago put policy in place to allow permanent supportive homeless housing. Director Helland says she is administering this policy deciding not to require a public Hearing.  The video will speak for itself.  

You can also find Council's April 16th Business Meeting here.  A record 70 citizens spoke at the podium. The meeting was intense, many protesters, but well orchestrated.

-- Bob Yoder, 4/18/2024

UPDATED, 4/18: Councilmember Forsythe's Letter On Plymouth Housing

 

COUNCIL V.P. JESSICA  FORSYTHE'S LETTER

The Facts

Plymouth Housing Business Focus Group

Join Plymouth Housing and OneRedmond in a Plymouth Housing-Business Focus Group.  

 

Wednesday, April 17, 2024
5:30pm-7:00pm
Centro Cultural Mexicano
16300 Redmond Way, Redmond 

RSVP is required due to limited seating. While we welcome attendees from any Redmond businesses, we hope to prioritize space for businesses located close to the Cleveland St. location. 

Any questions, please contact RedmondPSH@plymouthhousing.org

More information about the development can be found on the City of Redmond's website here: https://www.redmond.gov/2116/Plymouth-Housing-in-Redmond

Councilmember Steve Fields Recommends "Neighborhood Meetings."

 

SafeEastside.com Demands "a Say" on Downtown Homeless Housing

In a phone call yesterday, Councilmember Steve Fields recommended "neighborhood meetings" as a means to "have a Say" in the downtown homeless crisis.  These open meetings will offer Q&A discussions with elected officials, Plymouth staff, stakeholders and community members of various persuasions.  Possible meeting locations:   the Together Center, Redmond Kiwanis Club, downtown businesses, OneRedmond (City Hall,) Down Pour Coffee and residential neighborhoods. 

-- B. Yoder, 4/16. photo Yoder              

Redmond Kiwanis Club Honors Retired Councilmember Myers

Henry "Hank" Myers holding his Kiwanis Proclamation

Retired Redmond Council Member Henry "Hank" Myers was honored by Proclamation last week for his 10 years of dedicated and tireless work at Redmond Kiwanis Club.  

 

Hank's Proclamation
(click picture to enlarge)

Club President LouAnn Ballew presented the Proclamation, Club Secretary Sue Stewart wrote the Proclamation "with the help of AI," reading it with emphasis on Hank's full name, Henry "Hank" Myers.

Blog posts on some of Hank's council work are HERE.  

Photos by Yoder, 4/15/2024, updated 4/16/2024

"Bicycling in Redmond" -- Historical Society Speaker Series

A YouTube Video of the Meeting!

 

Saturday Speaker Series - Bicycling in Redmond – Past, Present, and Future

Time & Location

Apr 13, 2024, 10:30 AM

Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St, Redmond

Redmond is home to the headquarters of several major bike manufacturers. However, there’s not one thing that makes Redmond a great place for cycling, but many things put together that has earned Redmond the designation of "Bicycle Capital of the Northwest"―from Derby Days races to “Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day” (RAMROD) to the Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome at Marymoor Park. Joe Matthews, President of the Redmond Cycling Club, will give a short history of that organization.

Speaker bio:

Joe Matthews only got into long-distance cycling after his brother challenged him to complete the Seattle to Portland (STP) bike ride in the 1990s. Matthews couldn’t back down, of course. After STP, the Redmond resident wanted more, so he embarked on the Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD―a single-day event that celebrates the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park and features a challenging course of 150 miles and 10,000 feet of climb. He was hooked. Since then, Matthews has cycled in myriad races and challenges and now serves as president of the Redmond Cycling Club (RCC). RCC was founded in 1978 amid increasing popularity of cycling in the U.S. The club began from a core group of friends who were riding regularly. Within a few years, RAMROD founder John Dixon brought the RAMROD cycling event to RCC, which it now stewards.

UPDATED OPINION: Mayor Birney Should Speak To The Public On Plymouth Housing

OPINION:  Redmond is in turmoil.  From the blue "Demand a Say" signs scattered all over our city and numerous City Hall meetings over-flowing with protesters, we all know Council (and indirectly the Mayor) made a fateful "Plymouth decision" to welcome 100 homeless to our downtown.    

Some background:  The King County Regional Homeless Authority (KCRA) is promoting a regional approach to the homeless problem and now taking Seattle's severe homeless problem to the suburbs.  Their disorganized strategy didn't work in Kenmore and it's certainly not working in Redmond.   

Bellevue accepted the first Plymouth Housing building on the Eastside. It opened on July 23, 2023 and is located in a distant 10-acre low income "ecosystem."  So far, no news.

To qualify for a Plymouth studio in Bellevue, potential residents "must have been homeless for at least a year and have at least one disability."  Thus, the conditions of these homeless are severe, by far "not run of the mill."  Should Redmond have a similar building (in 2026) hopefully, these homeless will have enough human services to keep them alive, safely off the streets with even 1-2 or more finding a normal life.          

At Bellevue's Plymouth, "three staff members will live on-site and a health care clinic will allow these homeless to meet with primary care and psychiatry providers, and have an option for 24/7 telehealth urgent care."  Fantastic!  I hope this comes to fruition with many residents exiting.  

Clarity is needed for our community. Mayor Birney should speak directly to the public to explain Council's policy, quell miss-information and stimulate productive, community conversations.      

-- Bob Yoder, 4/8/2024, Updated Opinion 4/18/24

Sources:  Seattle Times, 3/21/2024  Seattle Times, 7/17/2023  Plymouth Housing website  redmondblog.org  Cartoon: The New Yorker.                    

Camouflaged Goose Nest On Sammamish River

 

 Canadian goose nesting on tree snag in Redmond / credit John Reinke 

In 2020, John Reinke took this amazing photo of a Canadian goose nesting her offspring in a 20-foot tree-trunk snag. Note the camouflage!  The snag is located in the 90th-Street Run-off Pond designed to clean water entering the Sammamish River. 

The dead tree was cut down in 2023 during a $1M city restoration project to improve drainage from the pond into the Sammamish River.  Since then the goose and other waterfowl haven't returned to build nests.

Mr. Reinke lives in Redmond, WA.  He's an avid nature photographer focusing on city wildlife living along a downtown segment of the Sammamish River.  

-- B. Yoder, 

  4/2/2024

"Beat the Bunny" Event Was a Hopping Success

 

Pat Vache' (orange vest) working the water station / credit Pam Yoder

The City of Redmond's 8th Annual "Beat the Bunny" 5k Run/Walk was a hip-hip hopping success.  

There's Pat Vache' -- on the right -- working the water station at mile 3.  Pat's the Founder of the Redmond Kiwanis Club (and renowned, past City Council President).  The Kiwanians exhibited and volunteered at various stations along the Marymoor Trail.  

Over a hundred must have turned out at the Marymoor Community Center for the start, with many families, young children and athletes "competing." Several sights along the way ...  the Marymoor Park climbing peak, a cricket game, a goose nest high above, a light rail segment and of course, construction. 

-- B. Yoder, 3/30/24

Celebrate The Launch of Light Rail In Redmond April 27

 

Sound Transit 2 Line Grand Opening Discover the 2Line starting at Redmond Technology Center Saturday, April 27, 2024 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Join community hosts OneRedmond and Centro Cultural Mexicano and bring the family out to celebrate this regional milestone at the Redmond Technology Center as the Sound Transit 2 Line embarks on its inaugural journey! Join us for live music and cultural performances, complimentary tastes, photo-ops with popular video game characters, community information booths, and to be one of the first to ride the 2 Line!

Click image for a Station map

Expedite your first ride by getting an ORCA card here. Low-income households and seniors may qualify for reduced fares by applying online ahead of time for an ORCA LIFT card here. Children 18 and under ride for free! -- posted by Yoder

Redmond Senior & Community Center Earns LEED Recognition

REDMOND, WA - The new Redmond Senior & Community Center recently earned the first-ever recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council for sourcing wood from climate-resilient forestry. The Council, which manages the LEED certification process, awarded the building an innovation point during the process and lauded Opsis Architecture and Sustainable NW for verifying that wood came from forests managed sustainably.

“We are honored to receive this historic recognition,” said Mayor Angela Birney. “The senior and community center was designed with environmental sustainability in mind, and it is exciting to know all who walk through these doors will be coming into a place that not only cares about them but cares about the building’s impact on our planet.”  

In addition to climate-resilient wood, which comes from forests managed sustainably to reduce wildfire risk and store more carbon, the state-of-the-art facility also utilizes efficient energy-conserving windows and doors, and mechanical and plumbing systems, as well as rooftop solar panels which will provide up to 50% of the building’s electricity. The building will also have “operational zones” to determine which areas will need lighting, for instance, based on what’s happening on any given day.

Expect to see more Redmond buildings with a green footprint in the future: Redmond 2050, the City’s comprehensive plan, is updating the Green Building Incentive Program and regulations to incentivize mass timber construction. This includes incentives for mass timber buildings up to 12 stories in Marymoor Village and Downtown, and mass timber mid-rise and high-rise buildings in Overlake. The City recently held a workshop with property owners, community members, developers, and designers to share more about mass timber and the changes coming to Redmond.

The Redmond Senior & Community Center, located at 15670 NE 85th Street, will have grand opening celebrations on May 3 and 4, and then will open to the community for use beginning Monday, May 6.

For information about the building, visit redmond.gov/RSCC. 

For information about the City’s Green Building Incentive Program, visit redmond.gov/1921/.

More on Mass Timber:  https://www.thinkwood.com/mass-timber

8-story Project Will Prod Seniors From Their Homes

8-story project site and Land Use "invitation to comment," credit Yoder

It's been decided, by the city Director of Planning & Community Development (also ARCH Chair,) that 24 Seniors will have to be relocated somewhere to make room for a novel 8-story apartment building.  

Downtown land is at a premium and owners are cashing in any way they can.    

Relocating small businesses for Big Growth hurts.  Prodding Seniors out of their homes is worse. Hopefully, not one of these vulnerable Seniors will need temporary shelter.  

I called Lauren Anderson, the city project planner for verification on the number of Seniors; to date no response.  

 --Bob Yoder, opinion

   3/27/2024

LWSD Redirects Levy Funds To Create Space For High Schools

Permanent space will be created for 600 high school students on the east side of the district.

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has proposed redirecting levy funds from the 2022 Building Excellence Construction Levy. 

LWSD will hold off construction in Sammamish and will redirect the funds to build 12 classroom additions each, at Eastlake High School and Redmond High School.

In addition, core space modifications will create room for students to move throughout the building, eat lunch and congregate. The additions and space modifications will be completed in the same timeline as before. 

-- Shannon Parthemer

   LWSD Communications Director

   Ms. Parthemer's press release, 3/17/2024,  Excerpted and edited.

Posted by Yoder, 3/27/2024

Downtown Homeless Housing Controversy, City Hall Is Packed / Video

One of Many Signs Staked in Downtown Redmond 

 Video-link to the March 19th Redmond City Council Meeting 

https://redmond.granicus.com/player/clip/2809 

The video shows a packed house at City Hall with demonstrators peacefully holding SafeEastside signs -- "Demanding a Say on Low Barrier Housing in Downtown Redmond."  40 citizens commented.

Pro and Con Comments Of Note:

 

Aspen Richter  39:43m

Al Rosenthal 43:36m

SafeEastside activist

Kiki Montgomery 53:43m

Dennis Ellis 59:43

Ramon (from China) 1:10:23

Cynthia Young 1:14:19

Paul Stephano 1:19:45

Linda Yang 1:22:20

SafeEastside Chair

Lisa Tracy 1:35:14

Karen Rodrigues 1:39:17

HopeLink

Bob Yoder 1:46:36

Redmond Blog

Kyle Parker 1:54:37

Sean Moyer 1:55:30

Kathy Lambert 2:08:03

Retired King County Councilmember 

Yuyan 2:15:14 

Video Sources : redmond.gov  YouTube clip

3/23/2024

Construction Art

"Construction Art installation" on Cleveland Street / B. Yoder

Puzzle:  What's inside?  😄

3/22/2024

EvergreenHealth Named "Top 50 Best Hospitals" In America

EvergreenHealth Medical Center 
"Community-owned" 

KIRKLAND, Wash. – EvergreenHealth has been named among America's 50 Best Hospitals™ by Healthgrades for 2024. This is the fourth straight year the community-owned hospital system has earned the distinction and puts EvergreenHealth in the top 1% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance.

UPDATED: Robin Campbell Appointed To EvergreenHealth Board

 

 Robin Campbell, PhD

KIRKLAND, Wash. – The Board of Commissioners of King County Public Hospital District #2 (EvergreenHealth) recently appointed Robin Campbell, PhD, to fill a vacant position on the Board, serving in Position #5 as an at-large representative. Campbell joins the Board effective March 19, 2024, and replaces Commissioner David Edwards, who vacated the position in December 2023 after being elected to the Woodinville City Council.

Campbell is a retired executive and board director with 35 years of experience in life science companies such as Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, Aptitude Medical Systems and Pfenex, Inc. He also lectured at the University of California, Santa Barbara's Technology Management Program, focusing on business strategy and marketing for technology-based firms.

UPDATED: Redmond Branded "Space District" - Video Presentation

Hosted by John Oftebro, President of the Redmond Historical Society, Saturday Speaker Series.

Lisa Rich discusses her commercial space company Xplore, designed to collect infinite streams of proprietary data from the XCRAFT®, its next-generation satellite. Speaker bio: Lisa Rich is a successful serial entrepreneur, investor and thought-leader who entered the space industry in 2014 to accelerate sustainable business that positively impact the environment, education, national security, and advance the $1T space economy.

She is Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Xplore, a commercial space services company using its multi-sensor platform to store and transmit data, achieve data fusion, on orbit processing.

Ms. Rich is also Founder of Hemisphere Ventures, a top space sector VC that has invested in 37 outstanding commercial space companies including Axiom Space, Umbra and Lynk. She presents at conferences, engages Fortune 500 think tanks to discuss space strategy and the landscape for space investment.

Ms. Rich was nominated to the National Space Council User Advisory Group led by Vice President Kamala Harris; she played a pivotal role in establishing the Redmond Space District in Washington State. Media appearances include Bloomberg and CNBC.

-- Posted by Yoder, 3/14/2024