Planning director outlines 2025 work plan: code amendments, area plans and private developments expected

Kyle Roberts, planning director for the City of Redmond, presented the Redmond Urban Area Planning Commission’s 2025 work plan and asked council for feedback on sequencing and council engagement.

Roberts said the commission and staff will continue to process private development applications including master development plans and planned unit developments such as Cinderview West, Colton Crossings, Antelope Flats, Redmond East Gateway, Northpointe Vista and Horizon Point. He said Antelope Flats was under staff review and the Redmond East Gateway project will include a sizable master development plan and rezone.

“This evening I want to [present] the planning commission work plan for 2025. I brought this to the planning commission last month,” Roberts said, and described the presentation as "a high level overview of what the planning commission is gonna be working with staff on in the 2025 calendar year."

Roberts also identified public facility plans slated for adoption or amendment, including the collection system master plan, Transportation System Plan (TSP) amendment, parks master plan and a required update to the regional economic opportunity analysis (a 10-year plan that substantiates a large-lot industrial program and is an amendment to the comprehensive plan). He said the West Redmond area plan (RAP) was paused pending updates to sewer infrastructure and the collection system master plan; the RAP covers roughly 400 acres on the city’s west side.

Roberts said the planning commission requested a status update next month on adopted area plans to show build-out progress. He said staff will also begin a multielement code-amendment effort. Roberts singled out a review of the city’s “great neighborhood principles,” adopted about two decades ago, and flagged the mini-park requirement (3,000 square feet per 25 units) as a commission concern for its potential effect on housing costs.

Roberts outlined a miscellaneous code package that includes updates ranging from marijuana temporary permits (TPMs) to an amendment to supportive shelter code, revisiting the annexation ordinance, sidewalk/infill mechanisms, home-occupation performance standards and administrative fixes. He said staff will bring marijuana TPMs to the planning commission next month and will return on sequencing for the other items.

Planning Commission Chair Tobias Colvin said the commission favors forming small subcommittees to work closely with staff on dense code amendments before the full commission public hearings. “I also encourage counselors to be a part of that process as well,” Colvin said, and Roberts invited council members to indicate interest in participating in subcommittees.

Councilors asked about update frequency; Roberts and Colvin suggested regular check-ins, with council discussion of sequencing at an upcoming informal meeting.

No formal action was required at the meeting; Roberts and Colvin requested council feedback on timing and involvement.