Introduction

A Vision for the Future

edmond has undergone dramatic changes over the past 20 years. It has grown from a small town to the 14th largest city in Washington state. Triple-digit percentage increases in population, employees and firms characterized the years between 1970 and 1993: the City’s population increased by 254% to 39,100; the number of people employed within Redmond increased 930% to 40,000, and the number of business grew by 708% to 3,190 firms. And Redmond will continue to grow. By 2012, the City is forecast to have 16,563 more residents, 9,878 more households and 29,500 more jobs.

Rapid growth can create a host of pressures on a city, from skyrocketing land prices to an influx of new residents and businesses which place a strain on public services. It also poses new challenges of how to balance environmental protection and quality of life with economic development and opportunities for all.

Growth has changed Redmond from a rural town to a thriving city, home to a diversity of people and businesses. But how do Redmond residents want their city to look 20 years from now? During the past two years, as citizens and City staff have been working to update this Comprehensive Plan, they have attempted to describe how Redmond sees itself today and tomorrow. Such knowledge is crucial because, at its heart, a comprehensive plan should affirm a community’s values and reflect its vision of a desired future. The way a community sees itself helps to determine land use patterns, how people get around, what community characteristics are preserved, what numbers of additional people and types of businesses it will plan for.

During this extensive public dialogue, residents and businesses have described how they view their City today and tomorrow and what they like and don’t like about Redmond. From this discussion has emerged an agreement on qualities and values shared by most Redmond citizens. These shared qualities and values have helped to guide the City’s planning efforts to manage the future course of its growth.

Redmond’s citizens clearly place a high value on the community’s natural environment and they wish to see it preserved wherever possible. Single-family neighborhoods, open spaces and parks rate high on most citizens’ lists of things they want to see maintained, as does the “Old Town” feel of the Downtown core. In addition, many residents agree that the commercial areas should be able to fulfill the community’s major shopping, professional and entertainment needs.

The Comprehensive Plan builds upon those findings. Its policies give planning direction and intent that support a vision of Redmond 20 years from now as a healthy and dynamic suburban community framed within a rich natural setting. It’s a vision of the future in which Redmond’s natural assets — its trees, river and lake — have been preserved and, in some cases, enhanced. Manufacturing, office and commercial areas — the focus of Redmond’s employment, retail and entertainment activities — have protected wetlands and streams on-site and have attractive landscaping in balance with the City’s natural beauty. Its residential neighborhoods are attractive, safe places to live that reinforce Redmond’s sense of community and high quality of life.

This Comprehensive Plan recognizes the complexities involved in addressing many of the issues associated with growth, such as increased traffic congestion, the need for affordable housing and revitalization of Downtown. It recognizes that tradeoffs must be made to balance the costs with the gains, that flexibility is necessary to adapt to changing conditions and that at all times the Plan must reflect the long-term goals of the people living and working here.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

his Comprehensive Plan is a vehicle to help Redmond achieve its vision of the future.

Used as a guide for the physical, economic and social development of the City for the next 20 years, the Comprehensive Plan establishes goals and policies for the City to use in evaluating future decisions. The Plan’s policies communicate the long-term values and aspirations of the community as a whole. By viewing the community as a whole, the Plan shows how all the different parts — land use, housing, transportation, capital facilities and so forth — must work together to achieve the desired vision.

Once the Comprehensive Plan is adopted, all the City’s decisions must be consistent with it. Used this way, the Comprehensive Plan minimizes conflict in decision making and promotes coordination among programs and regulations.

The Plan has three general characteristics. It is:

▀     Comprehensive. The Plan includes all geographical and functional elements that have a bearing on the community’s development.

▀     Long-range. The Plan looks beyond the present, pressing issues to the problems and possibilities 20 years hence.

▀     Flexible. The Plan will continue to evolve after it is officially adopted to reflect Redmond’s actual experience and citizens’ concerns. This fine-tuning through annual Plan amendments will ensure that this document remains a reflection of community values.

Specifically, the Comprehensive Plan is intended to serve a range of functions and purposes, including:

▀     To promote the general welfare. The Comprehensive Plan serves to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the community. It does this by establishing guidelines for development, by facilitating the adequate provision of public services and by encouraging appropriate development.

▀     To encourage coordination. The coordination of private development, community goals and necessary facilities reduces costs for developers and the community as a whole. The Plan anticipates future development and needs and coordinates development and needs with existing and planned public programs, facilities and services.

▀     To identify and review City goals and policies. Local governments make policy on a frequent basis. Updating the Comprehensive Plan gives the City the opportunity to determine if the existing goals and policies are still appropriate, to develop any new ones which are needed and to write down current City practices which should be formalized as policy statements.

▀     To communicate goals and policies. The Comprehensive Plan contains Redmond’s goals and policies in a written form in a readily accessible location. This aids City decision makers in reviewing developments and directing programs. Written policies assist the public and developers in identifying City requirements and makes the development process more certain, more efficient and lower in cost.

Redmond’s Role in the Region

Planning for the future is happening simultaneously at several levels — regional, countywide and in local cities and towns. Redmond’s Plan must be consistent with planning policies adopted by the state and regional planning agencies.

Washington State: Growth Management Act

Passage of the Growth Management Act (GMA) in 1990 by the state Legislature was a critical step in the development of rational policies to sustain growth in Washington. For the first time in the state’s history, all urban counties and their cities were required to plan comprehensively and jointly for the future. Through the GMA, counties and cities will improve mechanisms for managing growth and provide some predictable guidelines for future land use planning decisions. The state has mandated that all comprehensive plans be adopted in 1994. By 1995, all jurisdictions must complete the regulations that implement the policies contained in their comprehensive plans.

King County: Countywide Planning Policies
and Vision 2020

As part of the comprehensive planning process, the cities and King County have developed a growth management plan known as the Countywide Planning Policies. These policies were designed to help the 34 cities and the County to address growth management in a coordinated manner. The policies were adopted by the King County Council and subsequently ratified by cities, including the City of Redmond. Taken together, the Countywide Planning Policies try to balance issues related to growth, economics, land use and the environment. Specific objectives of the Countywide Planning Policies include:

▀     Implementation of Urban Growth Areas

▀     Promotion of contiguous and orderly development

▀     Siting of public capital facilities

▀     Establishing transportation facilities and strategies

▀     Creating affordable housing plans and criteria

▀     Ensuring favorable employment and economic conditions in the County.

In addition, Redmond’s Plan must be guided by the growth policies of Vision 2020, the regional plan developed by the Puget Sound Regional Council. Vision 2020 calls for directing future growth into existing urban centers and serving those centers with a regional transit system.

Redmond: The Comprehensive Plan

The Growth Management Act, the Countywide Planning Policies and Vision 2020 represent the framework for updating Redmond’s own Comprehensive Plan. Comprehensive plans spell out the general policies and goals of a jurisdiction. They cover a wide range of issues relating to how a city or county changes over time. In Redmond, the Comprehensive Plan is part of the City’s Community Development Guide.

This Comprehensive Plan is intended to comply with the Washington State Growth Management Act and other state laws that require local governments to plan comprehensively.

However, the City’s efforts to update the Comprehensive Plan are guided not only by the legislative mandates described above, but also by the need to bring the City’s primary policy document into line with the rapid changes that have taken place in Redmond since the last complete update of the Comprehensive Plan in 1979. Citizen input on a wide range of topics and in numerous public forums also has helped City planning staff to set a direction for the Comprehensive Plan and to fine tune particulars of the Plan.

Additionally, the goals of the GMA sometimes conflict with each other or with those of Redmond as well as other jurisdictions. An example is how to balance the goals of economic development and accommodating anticipated growth with protection of the environment. It is intended that this Comprehensive Plan will resolve the conflicts between the goals.

How to Use this Document

his Comprehensive Plan is divided into chapters dealing with specific issues areas, such as land use, housing, transportation, economic development and so forth. Each chapter is preceded by its own table of contents.

Chapters contain policies and, in most cases, maps. The policies usually are preceded by some explanatory text, which describes the context of the policies and may include some charts or tables. Policies are numbered and highlighted in bold print.

Policies are intended to guide City decisions and actions. The Plan includes two types of policies. Framework policies, which are preceded by the letter “F” and another letter, describe the goals and vision for that chapter. Not all chapters have framework policies. Other policies describe more concrete steps that need to be taken to achieve the vision set forth in the framework policies.

Citizen Involvement in Preparation of the Comprehensive Plan

his Comprehensive Plan is based on an extensive public involvement process beginning in 1991 that included Community Forums, workshops, a Citizen Advisory Committee and public review by the Planning Commission.

Public involvement activities have included:

▀     Redmond’s Community Forums. These forums regularly bring together hundreds of residents, high school students, business owners and employees to discuss issues facing the City. Participants meet in small groups throughout the City and watch a videotape that explains the issues and includes differing opinions. A trained volunteer leads the discussion. Everyone has the opportunity to comment and each participant fills out a survey form. The City collects the surveys and publishes the results.

In addition, two Community Redmond Workshops were held to consider issues specific to the Comprehensive Plan update. The workshops resulted in a general approach to address issues raised by the community and the Growth Management Act.

▀     Growth Management Act Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC). The committee grew out of the Community Redmond Workshops. The CAC included 19 area residents who took an in-depth look at the key issues facing Redmond. The committee helped City staff consider issues important to City residents and businesses in the development of the draft Comprehensive Plan. The committee prepared a series of recommendations which the Redmond Planning staff used in developing the draft Plan. The CAC then reviewed the key elements of the Comprehensive Plan and made recommendations to City staff.

▀     Planning Commission Study Sessions and Hearings. After staff incorporated appropriate Citizen Advisory Committee recommendations, the Comprehensive Plan chapters were reviewed by the Redmond Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is comprised of Redmond residents who volunteer their time to advise the City on land use issues. During a series of public study sessions held from October 1993 through May 1994, the Planning Commission reviewed each draft Comprehensive Plan chapter and made recommendations to City staff. A notice was mailed to Redmond residents and businesses inviting them to attend the study sessions and to comment on the draft chapters.

In August of 1994, the Citizens Guide to the Public Review Draft of the Comprehensive Plan was mailed to all Redmond residents and businesses. The Citizens Guide summarized the Plan and invited the community to attend Planning Commission hearings and study sessions on the Public Review Draft of the Comprehensive Plan. The Public Review Draft was a staff recommendation that included many, but not all, of the Planning Commission’s suggestions. The Planning Commission held six hearings and 21 public study sessions on the Public Review Draft. Based on public comments at the hearings and study sessions and other information, the Planning Commission developed its recommendation to the Redmond City Council.

▀     Open Houses and Community Presentations. Planning Department staff made several presentations on the Plan to neighborhood and community organizations.

▀     City Council Hearings, Neighborhood Meetings, and Ad Hoc Committee Meetings. The Redmond City Council held two hearings on the Comprehensive Plan. The first was a joint hearing with the Planning Commission which focused on the commission’s recommendations. The second hearing was at the conclusion of the City Council’s review and focused on the changes the City Council had tentatively decided to make to the Plan.

In May of 1995, the Mayor and City Council held an open house and two neighborhood meetings on the Comprehensive Plan. The Mayor and City Council attended all three of these meetings. The open house provided the public with the opportunity to learn about the Comprehensive Plan and get copies of the Comprehensive Plan and supporting information. People could comment on the Plan by talking to city council members, writing comments on flip charts, and being video taped.

The two neighborhood meetings focused on public comments. About 180 people attended the two meetings. The neighborhood meetings included small group and large group meetings where people could comment on the Comprehensive Plan. Notice of the open house and neighborhood meetings was given by mailing a flyer to all postal customers, both residents and businesses, in Redmond, including it on the Hotline, telling people at meetings, news releases which were printed in newspapers, and other means.

During March through June 1995 the City Council held nine Ad Hoc Committee meetings to review the Comprehensive Plan. The last ten minutes of these Ad Hoc Committee meetings were reserved for public comment. The City Council also received letters on the topic. Individual council members also met with individuals and groups to discuss the Comprehensive Plan.

(Ord. 1847)