Redmond City Council Business Meeting - April 21, 2026

The Redmond City Council held a regular business meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, commencing at 7:00 PM at City Hall and remotely. The meeting included public comments on multiple issues, a contentious debate on the Old Firehouse Teen Center demolition, adoption of municipal code updates, and approval of an interim official control regulating commercial drone land uses. The meeting concluded with a closed session for labor negotiations.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the regular meeting on April 7, 2026, and special meeting on April 14, 2026, along with payroll and claims checks.
• Approved a final contract with Lakeside Industries Inc. for $995,650 for the West Lake Sammamish Parkway Pavement Preservation Project.
• Awarded a construction contract to Dickson Company for $388,895 for the Old Firehouse Teen Center Demolition Project (Item 5 was pulled for separate discussion; see below).
• Approved a contract with SCI Infrastructure LLC for $1,267,396 for the Sidewalk Repair Project on 40th Street.
• Approved a contract with Raftelis Financial Consultants for $74,950 for purchasing process improvements.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 3252 for the 2025-2026 Budget Adjustment #6 to redeem LTGO bonds.
• Confirmed appointments of new Arts and Culture Commissioners (Joyce, Paul, Rick Deskin) and Human Services Commissioners (Sabrina Sevilla, Sonia Lawson Samalsi).
• All remaining consent items passed unanimously 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Old Firehouse Teen Center: Nineteen speakers and four remote speakers addressed the council. The majority strongly opposed the demolition, urging the council to pull Item 5 from the consent agenda, postpone demolition until a plan for rebuild is finalized, and engage meaningfully with youth. Speakers cited lack of transparency, a rigged stakeholder process, broken promises, and the building’s historic and emotional value. One forensic data analyst accused the city of a 79.7% duplicate inflation rate in public records production and warned of up to $33 million in penalty exposure. A documentary filmmaker shared interviews with 38 individuals highlighting the center’s impact. Former councilmember Steve Fields’ quote urging careful analysis was read. Some speakers noted conflicting information: the FAQ stated the building is safe, yet it was closed.
• Marymoor Parking: Multiple residents opposed the new two-hour parking limit in the Marymoor neighborhood, arguing it harms residents of apartments like Spectra, The Spoke, The Piper, and Bell Marymoor, who already lack sufficient parking. A Change.org petition had 175 signatures. Speakers requested alternatives such as residential permits or expanded parking.
• Trail Safety: A cyclist/pedestrian urged action to slow cyclists on the Sammamish River Trail, citing Strava data showing speeds over 20 mph in the downtown corridor and personal injury.
• PFAS Contamination: A speaker submitted six written questions about PFOS/PFBS detections at wells 1 and 2, including source identification and wellhead treatment timelines.
• Earth Month: A speaker praised the 2025 Environmental Sustainability Action Plan but urged full funding for Big Move 5 to meet the 40% tree canopy goal.
• Other: A speaker previewed a planning commission recommendation for a comprehensive plan amendment and rezone at Columbia Pacific Advisors property.

Discussion Items

• Old Firehouse Teen Center Demolition (Item 5 pulled from Consent Agenda): Councilmember Parsi requested the item be pulled, noting new information about two large trees (Douglas fir and western red cedar) that would be lost. She and others questioned why demolition must precede design. Public Works Director Aaron Burt explained a progressive design-build approach would be used, with validation taking 4–5 months. Councilmember Prakriya, an alumnus, emphasized commitments to same-site rebuild, expedience, teen voices, and music/recording spaces. Council President Stewart argued public comment had kept the project on the agenda and prioritized it. Councilmember Stuart rebutted a comment that council minds are rarely swayed by public comment, affirming its importance. After debate, the motion to approve the demolition contract passed 6-1, with Councilmember Parsi voting nay.
• Staff Reports:
  • Earth Month and Arbor Day: Sustainability Program Manager Jenny Liebick highlighted the five big moves of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan, record 44 new forest steward graduates, and community events.
  • CIP Q1 2026 Updates: Tess Wilkinson and Steve Gibbs presented project status. Key updates: 14% completion rate (2 of 14 projects done), abatement at OFH to begin in May, EV charging station phase 2 construction, Reservoir Park construction resuming in June, 156th Avenue Shared Use Path approaching 60% design (study session planned July 14), and CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) project scope increase to 7,600 feet.
• Ombudsperson Reports: Councilmember Kritzer (April) reported messages on renter protections, drought, Marymoor parking, technical issues with meeting recordings, and health care access. Council President Stewart summarized septic-to-sewer conversion challenges and announced that council leadership would discuss tier-one items from the retreat at the next council talk time.
• New Business A: Code Updates (RMC Titles 10, 12, 13, 15): Director Burt introduced ordinances to modernize the municipal code, part of the APWA accreditation effort. Councilmember Parsi requested clear communication on micromobility rules. Passed 7-0.
• New Business B: Interim Official Control (IOC) on Commercial Drone Land Uses (Ordinance 3257): Senior Planner Glenn Coyle and Police Chief Darrell Lowe presented. The IOC restricts commercial drone launch/landing pads to Manufacturing Park and Industrial zones to prevent vesting while permanent regulations are developed. A public hearing is set for June 2, 2026. Council debated a moratorium vs. IOC, the scope of zones, and concerns about noise, safety, privacy, and grandfathering. An amendment to remove Manufacturing Park zones was proposed by Councilmember Prakriya (citing caution and flexibility) but failed 3-4. The ordinance passed 7-0.
• Closed Session: The council entered a closed session for labor negotiations per RCW 42.30.140(4)(b).

Key Outcomes

• Old Firehouse Demolition: Motion to approve the $388,895 demolition contract passed 6-1 (Councilmember Parsi opposed). Abatement begins in May, demolition to follow.
• Municipal Code Updates: Ordinances 3253–3256 (Titles 10, 12, 13, 15) passed 7-0.
• Drone Regulations: Interim Official Control (Ordinance 3257) passed 7-0, limiting commercial drone ports to Manufacturing Park and Industrial zones. Public hearing scheduled for June 2, 2026. Work plan adopted for permanent regulations by April 2027.
• Public Records Warning: A forensic analyst placed on record that 79.7% of produced documents were duplicates, with 911 emails missing and 4,109 attachments stripped, exposing the city to potential $33 million in penalties. This was noted but no immediate action taken.
• Next Steps: Council will discuss tier-one items from the retreat at the next council talk time (April 28). CIP Q2 report expected in July. Study session on 156th Avenue Shared Use Path planned for July 14.