Redmond City Council Business Meeting Summary - September 1, 2026

The Redmond City Council held a regular business meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a presentation on Redmond Library updates, public comments from three residents, approval of the consent agenda, a staff report on citywide design standards updates, ombudsperson and committee reports, and approval of a new business item regarding a firefighter peer support training grant. The meeting concluded with a closed session for labor negotiations.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the August 3, 2026 special meeting.
• Approved payroll/direct deposit and claims checks (Payroll Approval Registers for August 10 and August 25, 2026, and Check Approval Register for September 1, 2026).
• Approved the King County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2027 Funding Allocation Plan (AM No. 26-127). The vote was 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Hank Myers addressed budget priorities. He advocated for reverting to the historic policy of placing all unspent funds into the capital fund, enforcing budget discipline among department heads, and fully funding police and fire departments. He noted that Redmond's police sworn officer ratio per capita is one-third that of Kirkland and claimed the city's pavement quality index is the lowest on the Eastside. He stated that Redmond has gone from "best of the best to worst of the worst."
• Wolf Adriatico spoke about the new Teen Center project, stating that the estimated cost had risen from $11 million to $35 million and that the city plans to upscale the building from 8,600 to 20,000-25,000 square feet. He criticized Parks Director Lorreen Hamilton and Recreation Manager Erica Chua, using a derogatory term. Council President Stewart raised a point of order reminding speakers to be respectful.
• David Morton requested three items be included in the 2027-2028 biennial budget: (1) soil and groundwater PFAS testing at the Evans Creek Relocation Project Area and the former Allwood Recycling Site; (2) funding for a city arborist position to provide independent review of tree reports; and (3) continued and strengthened funding for the environmental sustainability program. He acknowledged the mayor's proposed draft budget was not yet public.

Discussion Items

• Redmond Library Updates (Presentation)

  • Mary Comstock, Regional Manager for the Redmond Library, presented on the King County Library System (KCLS). In 2025, KCLS circulated 21 million items (11 million digital), ranking second in the U.S. and fourth in the world. A new book sorting system (opened August 19, 2026) sorts 8,000 items per hour.
  • Redmond Library specific data for 2025: nearly 1,800,000 items circulated (950,000 physical, 825,000 digital), with a retail replacement value of over $11.5 million. The library had almost 36,000 active patrons, 33,000 computer sessions, and 360,000 visits (average 131 people per hour).
  • 2026 program highlights included the Community Court and Resource Center (partnership with City and King County District Court), All Redmond Read featuring the graphic novel "We Are Not Strangers," Rainbow Connections (LGBTQ+ intergenerational program), teen advisory board (Red Tab), Soccer Watch Parties, story times, Talk Time and ELL classes, a welcoming ambassador for refugee/immigrant communities, and climate/sustainability programs (including recycling 3,000 pounds of e-waste).
  • Upcoming: Expanded hours (nights on Mondays, mornings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and a centennial celebration in 2027 (working title "Daring to Dream since 1927").
  • Council members expressed appreciation and asked questions about the book selection process (funded by Friends of the Redmond Library) and potential unmet needs. Councilmember Sony (online) inquired about partnership opportunities during budget constraints. Comstock indicated openness to collaboration and referenced the draft human services plan.

• Citywide Design Standards Update (Staff Report)

  • Serife Allen (Interim Planning Director) and Odra Cardenas (Senior Planner) presented an update on the 2025-2026 citywide design standards project, a key implementation of Redmond 2050.
  • Project objectives: implement Redmond 2050 policies (sustainability, equity, resiliency); support shift from suburban to urban, walkable, transit-oriented patterns; test and align standards with city priorities; integrate new state requirements.
  • Completed work: comprehensive code audit, graphic prototype, and phase one testing. Findings: most design standards have minor effects on development yield; areas identified where standards are difficult to implement or don't produce intended outcomes; opportunities for flexibility (e.g., mass timber, green construction).
  • Ongoing work: code drafting, phase two testing, research on alternative design pathways (living building, universal design), illustration updates, and initial stakeholder engagement (online questionnaire through September, developer workshop in late 2026).
  • Timeline: Planning Commission review in early 2027, City Council action in Q2 2027. A subsequent phase on inclusive design and placemaking will follow.
  • Councilmember Kritzer asked about incorporating color and public art into standards; Cardenas confirmed they are being included. Councilmember Sony asked about including local small builders in developer workshops; Cardenas confirmed they would be included.

• Ombudsperson Reports

  • Councilmember Prakriya (August): Reported numerous community inquiries: requests for PFAS testing and a city arborist; a council legislative policy analyst proposal; opposition to PSC rate increases; advocacy for funding community organizations and tenant protections; tree code concerns related to wildfire mitigation; Grasslawn tennis court usage; Bell-Red bike lane and Westlake Sammamish sidewalk feedback; commendation for the fire department; road conditions on NE Union Hill Road; concerns about Recology; and impacts of Gilman Street closures on businesses.
  • Councilmember Soni (September): Reported a resident email regarding project planning and construction timing that impacted the community, which was forwarded to staff.
  • Additional reports from Council President Stewart (National Night Out, concerns about roads/sidewalks/ADA ramps, ALPR timeline, special meetings in September), Council Vice President Nuevacamina (National Night Out, tenant protections, Recology vs. Waste Management, light rail love, Rockin' on the River, mini sweeper ride along, reminder not to park in bike lanes), Councilmember Forsyth (National Night Out, support for MHP program, ADA issues, Westlake Sammamish traffic, street closures, Health Through Housing resident coordination, Move Redmond Open Streets, Port of Seattle event, Eastside housing conversation with small nonprofits, Flock camera HOA request), and Councilmember Kritzer (office hours on ADA projects, safety, parking permits, event impacts on businesses, PFAS impacts on waterways, Flock camera support, police tech questions, Norman Rockwell construction, Rockin' on the River concerts).

• Committee Reports

  • Councilmember Kritzer: Kokanee Management Committee (approved updated budget for Kokanee ILA including science-based practices and emergency voting procedures), RIA 8 Management Committee (reviewed upcoming budget), One Redmond network (discussed strategic items with new lobbyist), Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (finalized unanimous recommendations for grant distributions to community events and city events, to come before Council).
  • Councilmember Forsyth: East Trail Regional Council (planning for next quarterly meeting and future vision).
  • Council Vice President Nuevacamina: Disability Board (regular business and language changes for retirees).
  • Mayor Birney: Hosted National League of Cities housing tour in Redmond, showcasing the Together Center, Plymouth, and Prisma projects.

• New Business: FY24 Assistance to Firefighters Grant – Joint Peer Support Training MOU Amendment (AM No. 26-129)

  • Deputy Fire Chief Jim Whitney presented the request. The City of Bothell withdrew from a federal grant due to an ongoing RFA, allowing Redmond to join. The grant will provide training for 18 new peer support team members (initial and continuing education) and additional critical incident debriefing training. The city's cost is approximately $7,500, already budgeted in the peer support line item. The amendment to the MOU was approved by a 7-0 vote.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda (including minutes, payroll, and CDBG funding allocation) was approved unanimously (7-0).
• The amendment to the MOU for the FY24 Assistance to Firefighters Grant for joint peer support training (AM No. 26-129) was approved unanimously (7-0).
• The Redmond Library will expand hours in 2026 and will celebrate its centennial in 2027 with a year-long program.
• The citywide design standards update is on track for Planning Commission review in early 2027 and City Council action in Q2 2027; staff will engage developers and the community in the interim.
• The Council received reports on community concerns and committee activities; no further action was taken on those items.
• The meeting adjourned to a closed session for labor negotiations lasting 20 minutes (RCW 42.30.140(4)(b)).