[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6143999,"mediaKeyId","5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6","parentId",5535363,"title","Developer urges council to approve docketing for Redmond ‘Flex’ site to allow residential and affordable housing","audioSeconds",1525,"startMs",1940000,"endMs",3465000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6&start=1940&end=3465","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6/thumbnail_1940000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6143999/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Developer-urges-council-to-approve-docketing-for-Redmond-Flex-site-to-allow-residential-and-affordable-housing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6143999-2091a6e252157dad83b68b89f1dfe53a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136435&Signature=lZnslxp7EzvFWYZ8-8SbkkL1G3r4hiitxMBrmJIYUKylTgLTRtNhBVU1ZdqadzvhZ9FfOEnrSrw6Os9L8TkRzpxWPJbSIdsVXqLSqeMyl4U6sUI0pP4KYKSLEwfiekHhrTdokwa-5sWucV9fRJMPKEDZH47rT3G4WeU3DVe1xy~2gi7eBzLKYZq1WUtS8WyCjaZOUxeT1cF1Vj94YgeJ6wZ1B7aEY2FzaZk8v2SH9ii~VX~Uz~ehfPEb0u72uAETFMVJYTz9KGvIH7FiBG13sLD-CIMo2OaKcqVJaaA2Xa6GMT6kUHcMq0CsVt9CrTygU-hxHFZiwnHO6sBHtB3-Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Redmond City, WA","date","2025-08-06T11:22:44.837Z","article","Columbia Pacific Advisors urged the Redmond City Council on Aug. 4 to approve docketing and a split-zoning update for the property known as the Redmond Flex site (6901 180th Avenue NE), saying that docketing is a necessary first step to allow study of residential development, including affordable housing.

Rebecca Bloom, chief investment officer with Columbia Pacific Real Estate / Columbia Pacific Advisors Real Estate Equity Strategy, told the council her firm owns the property at 6901 180 Eighth Avenue Northeast (referred to as the Redmond Flex site) and supports adding the proposal to the city’s annual comprehensive amendment review docket so the planning commission and council can study the requested split-zoning update this year. Bloom said residential uses on the site would “complement the neighborhood adjacencies, like Southeast Redmond Park and property owned by the Lake Washington School District,” and provide flexibility to develop housing, including affordable units.

Earlier in the meeting the council approved a consent agenda by roll call. The consent agenda, which passed 7–0, included ordinance number 3225, described in the meeting as “an ordinance of the city of Redmond Washington setting the framework and conducting concurrent review of the cumulative effect of all proposed amendments” to the Redmond comprehensive plan and related amendments for the 2025–2026 annual docket. Rebecca Bloom urged the council to approve the final docket as drafted so Columbia Pacific’s proposal can be formally reviewed this year.

No vote specific to the Redmond Flex site docketing was recorded beyond the consent adoption of the overall ordinance establishing the docket review framework. Bloom said docketing is a “crucial step in the process” that would permit study by the planning commission and council in 2025.

The public-record materials cited at the meeting identify the site’s proximity to Southeast Redmond Park and Lake Washington School District property; Bloom did not provide project-level designs or an affordable-housing unit count. The ombuds report later in the meeting noted a letter from Columbia Pacific Advisors referencing the same property and docket request.

Next steps for the developer and the city are: staff review under the city’s comprehensive amendment process, study by the planning commission, and subsequent council consideration. Any later rezoning, land-use approval or development proposal would be subject to the city’s public-review, environmental-review and permitting processes, and any housing affordability commitments would be specified at a later planning or development-review phase.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Redmond City Council, Special Meeting | August 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Columbia Pacific Advisors asked Redmond City Council to finalize adding the 6901 180th Avenue NE “Redmond Flex” site to the 2025–2026 comprehensive amendment docket so the property can be studied for residential redevelopment, including affordable housing.","taxTitle","Redmond, King County, Washington","taxId",2615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144003,"Redmond council to convene stakeholder group after community push to save Old Firehouse Teen Center",973,2064000,3037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6&start=2064&end=3037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6/thumbnail_2064000.jpg","/articles/6144003/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Redmond-council-to-convene-stakeholder-group-after-community-push-to-save-Old-Firehouse-Teen-Center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144003-18183129f8a8759f95fb4aea531a0c2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136435&Signature=lSuqO79XJsViMJ5u3exaFqLXjxouwyuzxR4YIyGMxqypmLc2SG3A4bcbqBmoMu~uSDORjW5qaGLvDf-7NInJMCj6zLz27Otn0yzjMW7KKBYJ4cgNpI-L10~8UyPSVEqln9VlmzWJR7bRnieaTP6pmJ2wnyM0Ra5Ui~Pv08mq043egbOj0PStcDpISTkqJb7uj3RrZ8QzKcXFjYWa1cYRWKAiVG~9rJNRHBRpAMIHjpoMFdkDUYmmA~ZpBCl1bucMO6DAjzRAYnDpYcpghxQ~n5Fkb9Rt1bbv4U8X82bME~9QP1OYZGDUOVaTkZj23fmRU8sHAp~TtM9aOgJCajmh6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Redmond City Council announced plans to convene a stakeholder group and council subcommittee to gather teen and community input on the future of the Old Firehouse Teen Center, but made no final decision at the Aug. 4 special business meeting.

Speakers at the meeting pressed the council to preserve the Old Firehouse as a teen center. Chester Anderson, a community member, told the council the building “really does stand for everything Redmond stands for,” and urged collaboration to preserve it. Resident Connor Graham described the Old Firehouse as “one of the safest venues” for teens and said other venues felt less secure. A parks staff member who spoke at public comment said the building’s condition showed only about 3% degradation since a 2015 assessment and criticized the administration’s handling and communication around the closure. Former Mayor Rosemarie Ives urged the council to ask more questions about the timeline, who made the closure decision and what previous studies recommended.

Council President Kritzer told the audience the city will convene a stakeholder group beginning in September. He said the council has formed a subcommittee to work with staff on selecting members for the larger stakeholder group and that outreach will occur in August. The stakeholder group will meet one to two times per month on Monday evenings, with in-person and virtual participation and special focus groups for teens to ensure broad teen representation. A website will be set up to share stakeholder meeting materials, focus-group results and facility data so the public can follow the process.

Council members and speakers repeatedly emphasized that no formal decision to renovate, rebuild or permanently close the Old Firehouse was made at the meeting. Multiple public commenters said cost and administrative decisions, not building safety, prompted the closure and called for clearer cost estimates, staffing history and a prioritized list of repairs. Former Mayor Ives asked whether prior assessments and budget allocations (including a 2014 Meng analysis and a 2018 McKinsey review referenced at the study session) had led to targeted repairs and budgeted funds in subsequent biennial budgets.

The council’s announcement establishes a deliberative process rather than an immediate resolution. The council subcommittee will advise on stakeholder membership and process design; staff will conduct outreach and host focus groups with teens. The stakeholder group’s schedule and materials are to be posted online; the council will receive updates. No vote or commitment to specific capital spending was recorded at the Aug. 4 meeting.

Community members who testified asked for clearer communication about: hours of operation, staffing levels over recent years, detailed condition and cost estimates separated into urgent versus nonessential items, a list of donated equipment and how donations were handled, and the proposed fee assistance plan if programming moves to other sites. The council said it will provide those details to the stakeholder group and post documentation online.

The item remains in the discussion and information-gathering phase; the formal decision-making timeline will depend on the stakeholder process and any budget requests that may follow.","After months of public pressure and testimony from teens, former mayor and staff, Redmond City Council announced a stakeholder process to gather teen voices and community input on the future of the Old Firehouse Teen Center; no final decision was made at the Aug. 4 special meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6143984,"Volunteer platform JustServe recognizes Redmond with ‘JustServe City’ designation",221,1406000,1627000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6&start=1406&end=1627","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6/thumbnail_1406000.jpg","/articles/6143984/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Volunteer-platform-JustServe-recognizes-Redmond-with-JustServe-City-designation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6143984-722b68cc5f28dd8a52b6327ef9fcb28c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136435&Signature=H-zUSU8SmQYvfqtz2BEmv25Txi04BHpXaCEDdpMrYRbLH0qOpNqLjDsvvjt22GrLhF6iK9hkQp90oy2axfPvclKDSojvdWtbnKtH42XW32mefvnSqoAMVYDFwCtpAcxhqG-PPEvBB83zg5SPvHL6U5hM4RTNwG-cGY4QeSWPHQbT00mxfykEF7o-oinTTqdlhMpCrwcZimvAAfCLT0n8Od2eWtNmkjnTbsKh8pV8RXGFWbMuMaE0lADc8ZchQ-QZEi-iyNDTW5jS6Xcbj6-BYEoQYrqMP1uHYRUvNoxDqnomSO6i6MD6JjUjri1hpyCSwoITH4YPLsvY5eF2Refnsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeremy Heber, a volunteer with JustServe, presented Redmond with a plaque recognizing the city as a JustServe City during the Aug. 4 special meeting.

Heber described JustServe as a free service, launched in 2012, that helps match organizations needing volunteers with people who want to serve, and said the platform lists opportunities for cities, schools, charities, faith organizations and nonprofits. He said JustServe has international reach and links local volunteer listings to Redmond’s volunteer site; he cited past partnerships such as Redmond Green Partnership and Derby Days. Heber handed a plaque to the council and several volunteers attended the presentation; no formal action or city commitment was taken during the meeting.","Volunteers from JustServe presented the City of Redmond with a plaque recognizing it as a ‘JustServe City’ and described the platform’s role matching volunteers with organizations; the presentation was ceremonial and required no council action.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6143990,"Redmond swears in new Parks commissioner and first in-house city attorney",178,3421000,3599000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6&start=3421&end=3599","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6/thumbnail_3421000.jpg","/articles/6143990/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Redmond-swears-in-new-Parks-commissioner-and-first-in-house-city-attorney","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6143990-6467f3ea306664f2d21ef085e736d347/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136435&Signature=Wrsg0IcHtxkQg9XzQtDmh-KP-GOsVCvNhm-M8PupgwDw~iNivviqP8ZokgPCHLDNQ2TkAGF6YLHHWihvlhpQ4qCEx7rMALOkf4YJRHduL~wk9pXTO3iV9rq1QwIPsxUAYIhjwebkjYvmB1v0kwsiXsbbVvoNefvMn1qL~sfuvMT0tfUE2Gv1AFhXmDCtjlcG0oz429SzzBOTYHd4QR1kWRZa09p3hh2xm70hC~QpyzElNJ4qM1S-u68rWd66OITdGHg1E1wK2ODI~t6-Uo5-9mmiPHGd8YCkV91bxDhUVGrs-e4GxHICD8Ml8qAbET4lp89sEZfIiYGkYhAAb1Z4HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Redmond City Council administered oaths of office to Siena Parsi as a member of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission and to Rebecca Mueller as the city’s new in‑house city attorney during the Aug. 4 special meeting.

After the consent agenda passed 7–0, the council invited Parsi and Mueller to the dais. The city clerk read the oath to each appointee; both replied “I do” and signed the oath documents. Council President and other members congratulated both appointees. Council members noted that having an in‑house city attorney is a new arrangement for Redmond and expressed anticipation for Mueller’s contributions.

No council debate or vote beyond administering the oath was recorded at the Aug. 4 meeting. The appointments were part of the consent processes and formalized by oath; any future official duties or compensation were not discussed on the record during the special meeting.","At the Aug. 4 special meeting the council administered oaths to Siena Parsi as Parks, Trails and Recreation commissioner and Rebecca Mueller as the city’s new in‑house city attorney; the council welcomed both appointees following the consent vote.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6143994,"Climate group presents 12 actions Redmond should start by 2027 to meet deep-emissions targets",155,2844000,2999000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6&start=2844&end=2999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535363-d28ca9000534ca7513c5f5470a594af6/thumbnail_2844000.jpg","/articles/6143994/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Climate-group-presents-12-actions-Redmond-should-start-by-2027-to-meet-deep-emissions-targets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6143994-91e9bd58c05fa44a6e59a2aa6eb2b2dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136435&Signature=R0Z2246h22XHYeQIHj65yq14lFUiE-hyH0jZGM6f-~7fmZC8eZpE9a8LEJBwsXxS4JIBV3IP9EA9nGm1RWa1GLoAE2ch7tmCRL4o5ArbCN03aeOUUqE601clRkCZLT3vqplk06O~6r7dYjrZ5XP9v~20gUS0hQ6wcB0r5c08oHtKkmVZX9KADIR-BZX8q7WWYeWuutNb5hVkadfrlGJvMyW~i0riO1HJtt08wupaWZIXHxzhz-HI0I-2nuuBwlqtg0goImC8Dkao0zcPDh3nLhlfuK5idCRPDppjx3sIRcSI~~UHh~GLy0gqrNo-gvlJzZn-2-vTwP~mcLDplNnwig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A climate advocacy group urged the Redmond City Council on Aug. 4 to adopt a set of 12 critical city actions and to begin implementation by 2027, arguing that delay will make the city’s 2050 emissions-reduction targets harder to meet.

David Morton of People for Climate Action (PCA) presented the report “12 critical city climate actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Morton said the report focuses on the two largest sources of community emissions — existing buildings and transportation — which together account for more than 80 percent of Redmond’s community greenhouse gas emissions. PCA recommends four building-related actions: expand the Energy Smart Eastside program beyond heat pumps to include weatherization and heat-pump water heaters; create decarbonization programs for multifamily and small commercial buildings; adopt electrification ordinances for large buildings; and require home energy score postings to improve market awareness.

On transportation, PCA recommended five actions: promote public transit by increasing frequency, reducing fares and coordinating regionally; expand safe biking and pedestrian pathways citywide; support employer programs that encourage alternatives to driving; expand electric-vehicle charging and require infrastructure in new multifamily buildings; and promote EV charging retrofits in existing multifamily buildings. Morton also urged two supporting actions: establish community education programs and create dedicated funding streams to sustain programs long term. He emphasized climate equity and the need for technical and financial assistance to lower-income households.

Morton told the council that because these measures take years to reach full impact, they should be underway by late 2027 to help the city reach an 80% reduction target by 2050. He recommended that Redmond update its climate action plan to incorporate the 12 actions, establish dedicated funding, and begin implementation planning immediately. The council received the presentation during the public-comment portion; no council vote or specific commitment was announced at the Aug. 4 meeting.","People for Climate Action urged the council to begin 12 city-level climate actions — focused on buildings and transportation — by 2027 to keep a target of 80% emissions reduction by 2050 within reach; the council received the presentation during public comment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Developer urges council to approve docketing for Redmond ‘Flex’ site to allow residential and affordable housing

Redmond council to convene stakeholder group after community push to save Old Firehouse Teen Center

Volunteer platform JustServe recognizes Redmond with ‘JustServe City’ designation

Redmond swears in new Parks commissioner and first in-house city attorney

Climate group presents 12 actions Redmond should start by 2027 to meet deep-emissions targets