The City of Redmond is preparing to update its Comprehensive Plan, extending the planning horizon from 2022 to 2030.

The first opportunity to participate in this update is on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Planning Commission public hearing at Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St., beginning at 7 p.m.

The adoption of the last major update of the plan was in 2004. Since then, the community has made great strides in realizing the plan’s vision.

Downtown Redmond is becoming a lively urban neighborhood with new homes and shops, an identified location for the Downtown Central Park and Bear Creek Parkway extended to Redmond Way.

In Overlake, the City is working with Sound Transit to bring light rail to Redmond by 2021 and in residential neighborhoods, the city has expanded and improved parks and completed a number of missing sidewalk links.

Periodic Comprehensive Plan review and subsequent updates are required by city policies and the state’s Growth Management Act. As part of this effort, the city will also update its Transportation Master Plan.

The first step in this process is to determine the nature and scope of potential updates. Residents and businesses are encouraged to provide their ideas and priorities either by attending the Planning Commission’s public hearing or by submitting written comments in advance of the hearing.

After the public hearing, staff will present a draft scope for the plan update to the City Council for approval. The recommended updates will then be discussed and reviewed by the Planning Commission from mid 2010 to mid 2011. There will be additional public hearings during this phase. The Comprehensive Plan update is expected to be complete by December 2011.

For more information and to submit written comments for the upcoming public hearing, contact project leads Sarah Stiteler at (425) 556-2469 or sstiteler@redmond.gov; or Jeff Churchill at (425) 556-2492 or jchurchill@redmond.gov.

Also, watch for updates on www.efocusonredmond.com, RCTV Channel 21 and www.redmond.gov.