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June 26, 1995 209 A special meeting of the Redmond City Council was called to order, pursuant to notice, by Mayor Rosemarie Ives at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. Council members present were: Denton, Dorning, Grubb, McCormick, Misenar, and Robinson. PUBLIC HEARING - REDMOND TOWN CENTER, DGA 94-004 Judd Black, Senior Planner, presented a brief overview of the staff report for Redmond Town Center, which includes amendments to Community Development Guide Chapter 20B - Goals and Policies and Chapter 20C - Development Standards and Design Guidelines. He also provided the Council with requested information on building height and signage. Russ Michel, representing the Planning Commission, stated that initially the Planning Commission had some difficulty in deciding whether the proposal was an application for development or a Community Development Guide Amendment, but decided it was the latter. He said the majority of the Commission’s deliberation focused on transportation issues. The Planning Commission, he continued, recommended that Bear Creek Parkway be limited to three lanes because the applicant’s traffic study found that three lanes would serve the development well, and that five lanes were excessive. The Commission did not think Bear Creek Parkway should be a bypass road, he explained, so it recommended a limited number of lanes to confine traffic and make the road more applicable to shoppers. The Commission did not want the bridge across the Sammamish River because that would allow a future bypass situation to occur, he noted. The Commission did discuss an exit from State Route 520 westbound to West Lake Sammamish Parkway that could become a bypass road, he added. Mr. Michel concluded the Planning Commission was impressed with the amount of open space around the western and southern areas of the property, and felt that moving the Bear Creek Parkway would grant more dedicated open space. Randy Kyte, Director of Development, Winmar Company, discussed the vision that Winmar set out in its application for the future Redmond Town Center. The project reflects what the community wants and responds to changes in the market that contributes to Redmond's long-term economic growth, viability, and quality of life, he stated. Mr. Kyte said after meeting with the Mayor, the Council, and focus groups over the past year and half to identify and gain an understanding of the concerns of the community, Winmar developed a concept design and master plan report which includes the following ten primary objectives in making this project successful: ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 210 integration with downtown Redmond including pedestrian interaction with existing business; configuration of streets, sidewalks, and buildings whose scale and character are consistent with downtown now and in the future; linkage from the center to downtown and surrounding open spaces; retention of a significant amount of open space and preservation of the natural beauty of the site; reinforcement of the concept of comparison shopping and creation of a critical mass of retail in Redmond; design of parking areas so they are convenient to the related uses with minimal visual impact; creation of a unique mixed-use center that sustains synergy within the project as well as throughout downtown Redmond, leading the way to downtown revitalization; provide an adequate return on investment to the property owners; creation of a market driven plan that leads to a rapid buildout of the site; and inclusion of a flexible master plan that can reflect changes in market conditions and community values, goals and policies. Mr. Kyte pointed out that this master plan contains over 200 design standards and policies whereas the previous plan had conditions that needed to be met by the applicant in order to construct the project. Mr. Kyte presented slides of the image of Redmond Town Center and how it will integrate into downtown Redmond. He clarified some of the technical issues raised regarding open space, parking lot landscaping, linkages, tree retention, transportation (including the final Bear Creek Parkway alignment), congestion, and fiscal analysis. Mr. Kyte stated that the timing is right to make Redmond Town Center a reality. The project meets the technical requirements, has been reviewed by the Design Review Board and recommended for approval by the Planning Commission, he ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 211 continued. The market is right for this kind of project; interest level from local and national tenants is high, and the public likes the project and wants it built he noted. Winmar would like to begin construction this summer; specifically, it would like to obtain the permits to begin clearing and grading of the site by July 12, he concluded. Councilmember Dorning asked if the Community Development Guide amendment is passed, what guarantee is there that the project will actually be built and that it will look like the artist’s renderings? Mr. Kyte replied Winmar has submitted applications for site plan approval, grading permits, and infrastructure approvals, and a significant dollar amount has been expended to get to this point. The project is real, and Winmar plans to move the project forward, he continued. Winmar will meet the bonding improvements to make sure that the site can be restored if that is necessary, he added. There have been significant pre-application reviews with the Design Review Board over the last four or five months, and the images that the Council saw tonight reflect that review, he noted. The design integrity will remain constant with refinement of detail and placement of materials for Phase I, he concluded. Councilmember Grubb stated he had read Safeco's annual report and is concerned about Safeco's limited interest in the future development of regional shopping centers and its emphasis on smaller projects, which have the potential for sale within a few years after completion. Mr. Kyte explained there have been ongoing meetings with the Board and the project has been approved by Safeco's finance committee. He emphasized Redmond Town Center is consistent with Winmar’s strategic plan for the future. He noted Winmar is presently doing a similar project in Gresham, Oregon. Councilmember Robinson was interested in traffic issues. He said it may not be Winmar’s responsibility to solve all the traffic problems that Redmond has been experiencing, but now is the time to take a close look at the benefits that Bear Creek Parkway can provide. He was concerned about Bear Creek Parkway's capacity as a three-lane road to service the community given growth projections over the next ten years. Mr. Kyte explained the roadway that will serve the proposed development and provide some capacity for background traffic; the three-lane road will accommodate full buildout of Redmond Town Center plus background trips in 1997. For the longer term, he concluded, Winmar thinks the right solution is to preserve flexibility by dedicating this ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 212 right-of-way now and only building the improvements if they become necessary in the future. Councilmember Misenar said it appears that all the entrances to the proposed development favor the north side of Redmond, and wondered if there was adequate infrastructure in place for people accessing the project from the south, east, and west. Mr. Kyte said there is enough infrastructure to get people into the development from a level of service standpoint. Leary Way has recently been improved, and Winmar believes its capacity to serve Redmond Town Center is sufficient until the year 2010. Councilmember Misenar expressed concerned about five-story buildings along Bear Creek Parkway and asked if the plan is to build out to the full five stories. Mr. Kyte replied yes, that is correct. Winmar has been working on elevations for those buildings; they are articulated and set back and will fulfill the density limits on the property and create a gateway to downtown Redmond. He noted Winmar spent some time on this issue with the Design Review Board, which concluded the design was appropriate, and those discussions led to some design standards and conditions in the master plan. Councilmember McCormick stated that she voted for this project in 1988 because it achieved integration and preservation of open space. She said she was surprised about the size of the parking structure in this project and wondered how it would integrate with downtown. Mr. Kyte responded he would address Mrs. McCormick's question later in his presentation. Councilmember Denton asked what type of retail mix does Winmar envision at Redmond Town Center? Mr. Kyte replied Winmar is bringing in some key national retailers that tend to draw a lot of smaller retailers. Approximately 70 percent of the retail component of the project is leased, he continued, and Winmar is in final lease negotiations with other retailers. Office and hotel components are active as well, and Winmar is projecting a three or four year buildout, he concluded. Councilmember Grubb stated that pedestrian integration was a primary issue in the Council’s first deliberation of this project, and that it continues to be an issue in this proposal. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 213 RECESS The Mayor declared a recess at 9:15 p.m. The meeting was reconvened at 9:30 p.m. The Mayor entered into the record the following exhibits: Letter from John Betrozoff dated June 23, 1995; letter from Mr. Wallace A. Peltola received June 23, 1995; letter from Mary Ann Hoskins dated June 26, 1995; letter from Jim Hossack dated June 26, 1995; letter from Harvey O’Neill dated June 26, 1995. Dan Ramirez, 4222 201 Avenue, Redmond 98053, Director, Redmond Chamber of Commerce, stated that during his 11 years as Director, a number of concerns about Redmond’s downtown have been identified (i.e. traffic, comparison shopping opportunities, pedestrian access). He said now is the time to solve these problems, and Redmond Town Center is the catalyst to begin the solution. Redmond Town Center will reduce traffic because people will be coming to a specific destination in Redmond, and the integration with Redmond’s street grid will facilitate traffic flow, he continued. The project will provide comparison shopping and adequate parking, he noted. In addition, pedestrian traffic has been accommodated between Redmond Town Center and old Redmond, and the development will provide a tax base for Redmond, he concluded. Chris Falko, 16150 NE 85 Street, No. 203, stated that he is a business owner downtown, and concurred with Mr. Ramirez’ remarks. He said the project will have a positive impact on existing downtown businesses if they are strong, and if they are not, they will either become stronger or move somewhere else. Clarence Flowers, 4526 232 Avenue NE Redmond 98053, said that as people have moved into Redmond there has been growth in all areas except recreation, shopping, and entertainment. He said it is time for Redmond to grow up commercially, and that residents of all ages need shopping, and safe and healthy activities in their city. Taylor, 20424 NE 120 Street, Redmond 98053, said the proposal seems to be attractive, but she was concerned about its effects on Bear Creek, and hoped the buffer was enough to protect the creek from the shopping center. She was also concerned about abuses of Bear Creek by trail users. She expressed concern that existing business would be able to survive. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 214 Fred Meitzer, 13764 NE 76 Place, said he has invested a lot of time, energy, and resources into trying to save the golf course. He said he now believes that Winmar cannot be stopped. He commented that Winmar's development concept is being treated like a development proposal, and that the real purpose of Winmar is to rescind Ordinance 1416, which established the property's pre-annexation zoning contract binding development of the property to a particular design concept that must include a regional mall. He asked the Council to pose questions to the City Attorney: Can Winmar build anything other than a regional mall unless Ordinance 1416 is appealed? Would another private party benefit from repealing this ordinance? Would it be legal or ethical to enact an ordinance (other than pre-annexation contract zoning) that benefits one private party? Brad Patrick, 17771 NE 90 Street, No. F 336, said he lives and works in Redmond. He concurred with Winmar’s vision for Redmond; its proposal is an appropriate development for Redmond that will make it a better place in the future. He said Winmar’s plan will contribute to this vision. Jim Griffin, 6479 137 Avenue NE, concurred with Mr. Patrick’s remarks. He urged the Council to look at Redmond Town Center as an opportunity for Redmond. He recalled testimony before the Planning Commission by a business owner who felt strongly that this project will enhance his and other Redmond businesses. He noted the Downtown Plan discusses the need for an impetus for retail in Redmond, which Redmond Town Center will provide. Jeff Parrish, 2844 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, said that development of this property has been a great divider of the community for the past ten years, deflecting attention from other important matters, and it is time to move on and time to build. He noted that many of the Community Development Guide policies are met by this proposal with respect to open space, transportation, protection of Bear Creek, access, attraction of businesses to Redmond, and parks and recreation goals. Redmond Town Center will allow Redmond to move into the 21st century and establish a sense of community in a vital downtown; the city should not squander this opportunity, he concluded. Bill Thurmond, 14101 126 Place NE, Kirkland 98034, current President, Redmond Saturday Market, stated that this year the Market is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Redmond. He said Winmar has helped make the Market what it is and has been a good landlord. He also noted that the city has always supported the Market. The Market’s customers come ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 215 from Redmond, Issaquah, Woodinville, Bellevue, and even Seattle, and we are anticipating that the Saturday Market may become a two-day market next year, he concluded. Maxine Montgomery, 7100 137 Avenue NE, said she has been pleased with the development that has gone on in the city since she moved here in 1967. She said it meets most of her needs so she does not have to go to another community very often to shop. She would like Redmond to have a reputation as a community that provides for its residents and its workers and said the Redmond Town Center plan is a great step in that direction. As a member of the Redmond Senior Center, Ms. Montgomery voiced concerns regarding three lanes versus five lanes on Bear Creek Parkway. She preferred the three-lane configuration. Another concern was that a number of her friends who live downtown do not drive and need access to services. Redmond Town Center is ideal for them because they can walk to shops and restaurants, but some of them may need to have transportation provided, especially at night, she concluded. Bill Nelson, 20005 NE Union Hill Road, Redmond 98053, said he has lived in Redmond for 38 years. He said the Council correctly put restraints when Winmar wanted to build a regional shopping center, but now he believes the Council should support development of Town Center because it will help meet the great need for retail, a community center, reduction in through traffic, and a strong tax base in Redmond. In addition, he continued, Redmond Town Center will provide a focal point for Redmond too; the project is consistent with the vision for downtown and will integrate with the rest of the city. Redmond Town Center is a well planned project, he concluded. Tom Schmall, 2488 239 Place NE, Redmond 98053, said he has lived here for a year and half, and he cannot understand why this proposal is not being embraced because it is perfect for Redmond. He urged the Council to move ahead with this exciting project and make Redmond a better place for the people who will continue to come here. Jim Granger, 7981 168 Avenue NE, said he has watched a lot of iterations of the Redmond Town Center project. He said he believed existing businesses would retain their client base because it would bring more shoppers into the city who do not currently shop here due to lack of retail capability. The project is well conceived, the public wants shopping opportunities, and businesses will welcome the competition, he added. It is critical to have that office space downtown to attract high caliber businesses and provide amenities for ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 216 their employees and clients, he noted. In response to a question from Councilmember Grubb, Mr. Granger said he likes this project better than the previous proposal because it is more compatible with the City Center than an enclosed mall. Bill Blackburn, 3122 181 Avenue NE, said he was in favor of Redmond Town Center because it will be compatible with the vibrant downtown that Redmond needs, will provide a vital economy and will add to a sense of community in Redmond. Wendy Walsh, 18000 Bear Creek Road, Woodinville 98072, said that in general she was impressed with the Redmond Town Center proposal. She expressed concern about the project's effect on Bear Creek, however. She said that recently she was a speaker at a national conference held in Bellevue, the Urban Wildlife Conference, where she learned that wildlife can be compatible with urban development if development is done right. She urged the City Council to be very aggressive in protecting Bear Creek; open landscaping will permit access to Bear Creek but that would be disastrous to the creek bed. She noted that fresh water mussels are endangered in Bear Creek and there are numerous beds in this portion of the creek. She suggested that Redmond should take responsibility for requiring dense vegetation along the 150-foot buffer. The trail system is much too close to the creek, and that if the trail becomes muddy silt would enter the creek. She would like to see turnout areas so that people could observe the creek without intruding into it. Since the developers do not plan to fence the creek, the best fence would be a natural fence like blackberry vines to keep people out, she added. Another of Ms. Walsh’s concerns was the retention/detention plan for a 25-year flood. She noted that a 100-year flood occurs here often and there could be an overflow of sedimentation and pollutants into the creek with a major flood. Auggie Kemp, 14614 Bear Creek Lane NE, Woodinville 98072, said Redmond Town Center is a high quality project that provides a balance between retail, office, hotels, and restaurants and will create an impetus to the rest of downtown to develop and improve. The project will help solve Redmond’s transportation problem by having quality facilities in the community so Redmond citizens do not have to go elsewhere to shop, he continued. He added that tax revenues from construction and development of retail will be very positive for Redmond. Bill Dorsey, 10205 162 Avenue NE, commended Winmar for its stamina in trying to develop the property for a number of years. He said he supported the project for many of the ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 217 reasons previous speakers have stated. Redmond's population, he continued, has grown dramatically over the last ten years, and it is time to build now so people can shop in Redmond and provide tax dollars to the city. Winmar has done a good job of addressing environmental concerns, he concluded. Robert DeWolf, 11440 176 Place NE, representing the Design Review Board, said the Board has reviewed the project in great detail, and did not find any significant problems with the site plan or the proposed building elevations. The only unresolved problem he had with the project was providing safe access across Bear Creek Parkway from the trail system, and he was confident that this safety concern would be resolved. Winmar has made consistent and significant efforts to integrate Redmond Town Center into the existing downtown in a sensible way, he added. Architecturally speaking, he noted, Redmond Town Center would be an unusually beautiful project. As an avid trail user he was delighted that Winmar would be providing a major linkage to Redmond’s extensive trail system he concluded. Holly Plackett, representing the Planning Commission, stated that she voted against the Winmar proposal and submitted a two-page memo listing the reasons for her decision. She said Winmar did not convince her that the project would integrate well with the existing downtown. She added Winmar’s marketing brochure defines the typical Redmond Town Center shopper as an upper middle class dual income professional and she did not think this described the typical Redmond resident. Ms. Plackett noted that there are 467 businesses in the City of Redmond, and less than five of the business owners attended the hearings before the Planning Commission to comment on the plan. The proposal is being rushed through, noting that the Council is being asked to make a decision in two nights, which is not enough time to look at all of the material, she continued. In addition, Ms. Plackett noted that there have been a great many changes since 1988, when the Council last saw the plan. She encouraged the Council to look at her letter which itemizes some things she thinks are missing from the project (i.e. no recreation for children, targeting upper middle class professionals, etc.). In response to a question from Councilmember Misenar about how the project could integrate with downtown, Ms. Plackett said when she asked questions about integration Winmar did not provide details about how people would access the Redmond Town Center across the railroad tracks. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 218 Barbara Beeson, 21013 NE 122 Street, Redmond 98053, said she did not have confidence that Winmar would build a wonderful mall. She said we need to find out what tenants are going to be in the mall before we start amending the Community Development Guide. The Council should follow the proper procedure to fix the zoning on this property and that is not being done, she continued. Ms. Beeson said she heard that all of the office space in this project has been leased by one owner and wondered if that was true. She said this is important to the decision because the city would not receive a lot of tax from office space. She also pointed out that other Winmar projects that are similar have not been successful in other areas. Dean Lacey, 1321 177 Avenue NE, Bellevue, owner of an office building at 8060 165 Avenue NE in Redmond, said he thinks Redmond Town Center would integrate with downtown Redmond. He said people from his office building will walk to the new development, which is more than 300 feet away, because it will be attractive and will have shopping, restaurants, and other facilities that they will use. Donn Hogan, 17819 NE 100 Court, Chairperson of the Design Review Board, said the Board has looked at this proposal numerous times, and agrees that the design work is excellent. The Board reviewed a number of issues in great detail, and Winmar addressed most of the concerns raised by the Board. With respect to integration, Mr. Hogan stated that due to the geography of the site, Winmar is doing everything it can to integrate with downtown, but that the city will have to respond to Winmar's efforts to achieve integration. Winmar has made efforts to integrate with the rest of the city by going to the north, trying to keep the street frontages as friendly as possible and tie as closely as possible to Redmond, he noted. The Mayor asked Mr. Hogan to comment about the proposal for a five-story building on the southwestern corner of the property. Mr. Hogan responded that a lot of the design impetus for the total site has been taken off from decisions that were made in the Downtown Plan with respect to scale. He stated the five-story building would be set back, would have a lower base, and the upper stories would be recessed so that the building would not look as tall as a straight five-story building. Excellent designs such as this can be done well and this project will be a benefit to Redmond, he concluded. Robert DeWolf stated that he is a downtown business owner and is very active in the Redmond Chamber of Commerce as a ---PAGE BREAK--- June 26, 1995 219 member of the Board of Directors. He said he has never heard any negative comments about this project from any business people in Redmond. Linda Seligman, 14722 NE 66 Street, was concerned about traffic. She said she works in Issaquah and has seen what the recent development there has meant with respect to traffic congestion. She said with Target and Mervyn’s opening soon, the city should wait and see what the traffic from those developments will be before Redmond Town Center is built. The Mayor asked Mr. Kyte to provide the Council with copies of Winmar’s marketing brochure. Councilmember McCormick said she would rather not have a copy of the brochure because the Council is not looking at a site specific proposal; rather, it will be making a policy decision and will be setting the standards for that policy. The Council asked Mr. Kyte to bring to the June 27 meeting information pertaining to the following issues: transportation, stormwater, fiscal analysis, the public access easement and maintenance, the integration of parking structure with downtown, pedestrian integration between downtown and Redmond Town Center, details of open space buffer design along Bear Creek, building heights, signage, tree retention and preservation. The Mayor continued the public hearing to Tuesday, June 27, 1995, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Council, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 11:20 p.m. /S/ROSEMARIE IVES, MAYOR /S/BONNIE MATTSON, CITY CLERK