One thousand trees are about to fall in our community.
All we need to do for this to happen is to keep quiet. Sustainable Redmond, a grass-roots citizens’ action group focused on environmental sustainability, is asking that concerned citizens speak up now to persuade the Redmond City Council to consider better, more forest-friendly options in the impending redevelopment of the Overlake Group Health site.
The developer of the 28-acre site has proposed a high-density housing and retail shopping complex which will include removing all 1,050 trees currently on the site, and with them as many as 120 40-year-old landmark trees. Public awareness and input is extremely important for alternative plans to be requested by the City Council.
Near the planned terminus of the future Eastside Light Rail line, this project stands to become a model for future similar developments on the Eastside. The location of housing and retail near the light rail station to reduce transportation miles is a solid sustainable feature of the plan, but other aspects of this development raise concerns.
A distinctive feature of the soon-to-be-demolished Group Health facility is the presence of stands of native woodland, a rarity in that highly developed area. Situated between 152nd and 156th Avenues Northeast on either side of Northeast 28th St, current plans call for leveling the existing structures, tearing up the asphalt parking areas, and removing all vegetation including all trees, some with diameters exceeding four feet.
Redmond’s city code states that “In all new developments including additions to existing non-single family buildings and parking areas, a minimum of 35 percent of all significant trees shall be retained.” (RZC 21.72.060). Exceptions can be requested, and the current proposal presented to City Council is to allow an exception that all trees can be removed, i.e. zero percent retained.
Sustainable Redmond is proposing that the city not grant an exception in this case, given that this area is quite unique in that it is the only large stand of trees remaining in the Overlake area, and that at least two stands of existing trees be retained.
Please join us at the Council meeting on Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. to help save some of this important woodland area.
Alison Snow, Sammamish
