Business Impacts

Growth Projections and Locations

By 2050 Redmond will almost double our 2019 population^*, and will need to meet the following growth targets:

• 30,000 new jobs
• 25,000 new housing units

_{*2019 is the starting year for this review and update cycle.  The 20-year planning period required by the Washington State Growth Management Act is 2019-2044. Redmond is using 2050 for our planning processes.}  

Where Growth Will Go - Our visioning process included a study of different growth alternatives to determine where we want growth to go and what we want it to look like in Redmond. 

Staff is preparing a preferred alternative that will allow us to identify where we need to make changes to zoning districts and development standards. The most changes will be seen in Overlake, but other areas of the community will also see changes and up-zoning to accommodate the anticipated growth. 

The concepts for a preferred alternative were discussed at the September 20 City Council meeting and the September 28 Planning Commission meeting.

• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey 

Community Priorities

• Businesses have shared their concerns about the need for affordable commercial spaces, the need for smaller or more flexible spaces, and help with relocation costs.  
• The community has prioritized finding ways to help businesses at risk of displacement due to growth, business diversity, and how to support small and ethnic businesses.  

Proposed Policies

The City is reviewing policies and anti-displacement and affordable commercial tools as a part of Redmond 2050. 

• Economic Vitality - Draft 2 
• Staff Contact: Glenn Coil 

Some of the policies related to these topic are shown below:

• EV-8 | Monitor the performance of economic development policies and strategies in business diversity, middle-wage job creation, and reduction of displacement risks. Identify and track key economic and demographic metrics to help the city evaluate the effectiveness of local economic strategies and achievement of equitable outcomes.
• EV-10 | Ensure all businesses have access to economic assistance and disaster recovery resources through clear, timely, and supportive processes. Prioritize businesses that are small, local, historically lack capital, represent underserved and marginalized communities, and are at risk of displacement.  
• EV-21 | Adopt and maintain development regulations and incentives that allow flexibility in size, location, uses and design to create affordable commercial spaces that allow small, locally owned, and culturally diverse businesses to thrive. 
• EV-25 | Mitigate the displacement of existing businesses as development occurs through incentives, development regulations and programmatic support, such as funding and grant opportunities. 
• EV-26 | Maintain existing manufacturing park land use and zoning designations to sustain and grow the manufacturing sector while also providing flexibility for evolving business and community needs. 

Urban Centers

As we plan for 2050, we are re-evaluating our Centers for growth capacity, character, and transitioning to pedestrian-oriented urban forms (buildings, streets, sidewalks, etc.). We're also wanting to maximize housing opportunities, keep jobs and housing near transit, preserve manufacturing zoning, and looking for ways to improve equity and inclusion in our built environment.   For the Redmond 2050 update, that means changes for all our centers - plus adding an industrial/manufacturing center designation in SE Redmond (on land currently zoned for those uses). Some of the highlights for that work are show on the next few slides, with links to additional information.

• Phase 1 Growth Centers Policy Guide 
• Centers Element Update - draft 1.0 (general and Overlake only)
• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey 

Transit Oriented Development

As part of this work, we've received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to implement Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) near the light rails stations. Our TOD focus areas for Redmond 2050 are the areas within a 10-minute walk of the four new light rail stations. 

Learn More

Urban Center -  Overlake

The most significant changes will occur in the Overlake Neighborhood. The opening of two new light rail stations in the neighborhood provides opportunities for transit-oriented development.  The  environmental constraints in Downtown and Marymoor that aren't a factor in Overlake, as well as the availability of many vacant and redevelopable parcels, make this neighborhood a good place to accommodate growth while minimizing negative impacts. Changes will include expanding the urban center boundary (cross hatched area in map at right to be added to the center), up-zoning, a new incentive package, taller buildings, updated design guidelines, and creating an International District in the Overlake Village area (and much more).  

• Learn More
• Overlake updates are a part of Phase 1 (2023 adoption)
• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey 

Urban Center - Downtown

The City will be looking at ways to maximize potential for the new light rail station as well as updating design guidelines, community character and historic preservation policies, removing code provisions that make it less likely for office developments, and reviewing potential updates for Town Center.  

• Downtown updates are a part of Phase 2 (2024 adoption) 
• Staff Contact: Lauren Alpert

Urban Center - Marymoor Village

The Marymoor Village center was created in 2017, so most of the revisions under review are to address new opportunities and ways to meet community priorities that emerged in the visioning process.  Updates will address  : 

• gaps in the design guidelines and some revisions where implementation has proved difficult or highlighted new opportunities, 
• updates needed to transition from a local center to a countywide growth center, 
• consideration of a boundary adjustment, and 
• exploring the potential for Marymoor Village to serve as a pilot to demonstrate how to incorporate universal design into a neighborhood and ways to create additional housing for community members with disabilities.  

Staff has also been working on ways to implement flexibility while ensuring we meet the goal of having a unique character for Marymoor Village.  One idea under consideration is utilizing this area’s prominence and importance to local Native cultures. There is a desire to explore options for how we could develop design feature that would recognize, celebrate, and preserve the connections to Native cultures (colors, art, landscaping materials, etc.)

• Marymoor Village updates are a part of Phase 2 (2024 adoption)
• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey 

Urban Center - SE Redmond

During the visioning phase, the community expressed a desire to protect manufacturing land and jobs. Redmond is studying a concept for a new jobs center is SE Redmond that would protect land currently zoned for industrial and manufacturing uses by creating a Countywide Industrial Growth Center in that area. 

Countywide Growth Center

As part of the 2021 update to the King County Countywide Planning Policies the county updated and expanded the types of centers, including adding a new Countywide Industrial Growth Center.  Redmond submitted a letter of intent to study the potential for utilizing this new center typology in SE Redmond on existing industrial and manufacturing land.  

Regional Industrial Growth Centers are clusters of industrial lands that have significant value to the region and potential for future equitable job growth. These large areas of industrial land serve the region with international employers, industrial infrastructure, concentrations of industrial jobs, evidence of long- term potential, and can be accessed by transit. Designation will continue growth of industrial employment and preserve the region’s industrial land base for long-term growth and retention.

Utilizing the centers designation would make this area eligible for regional transportation grants.  

NOTE: This would keep the underlying uses allowed as those heavier non-residential uses that are currently allowed - no expansions to uses or rezoning are proposed.  

• The creation of a new SE Redmond center is a part of Phase 2 (2024 adoption)  
• Staff Contact: Lauren Alpert

Urban Center - 90th & Willows

A concept for a new local center at 90th & Willows was studied as part of the DEIS and community conversations in 2022. Based on community feedback this idea has been placed on hold, to be studied further at a later date (may be considered as a part of a future update to a neighborhood plan).

• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey 

Zoning Code Updates

The Redmond Comprehensive Plan updates will include updates to the Redmond Zoning Code and Redmond Municipal Code. Long Range Planning staff are working closely with the Redmond Zoning Code Rewrite team to coordinate edits and adoptions with their phase 2 updates.

Updates include rezoning, new zoning districts, updates to development standards (building heights, etc.), revisions to increase housing options and affordability, new development incentives, and much more. 

• Learn More
• Staff Contact: Beckye Frey