Proposed Redmond Zoning Amendments inspired by interactions with the city on the mosque project

LETTER:   I wanted to bring up something that may be of interest to you since I know you are advocating greater public involvement in the city decisions.

Last year I have submitted (on behalf of our group of neighbors) two amendments to Redmond Zoning Code.

First amendment was to require any allowed non-residential uses in residential areas to go through Conditional Use Permit, so that instead of non-elected bureaucrats in the city's planning department the new developments go through the city council and get decided by our elected representatives. That allows public better chance to participate.

Second amendment requested heigh overlay on the boundary of our neighborhood so that there is transition zone between office buildings on campus and residential area,

Both amendments were inspired by our interactions with the city on the mosque project (and I do believe should those have been in place the project may have been developed along different path).

Not surprisingly, City's Technical Committee recommends to deny the amendments on the grounds that a) Conditional Use Permit adds unnecessary burden on the applicant (for the first amendment) and b) OBAT height overlay may interfere with allowed uses in residential zone (for second amendments). Full reasoning is in the document at the link http://www.redmond.gov/common/pages/UserFile.aspx?fileId=177798

Planning Commission will have a public meeting to discuss the amendments and Technical Committee recommendations on February 10, 2016, at 7:00 p.m.  I'm planning proposals.

Thanks,

Eugene Z

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