Planning commission studies rezoning of 5.3‑acre split parcel on 188th Ave NE amid job‑vs‑housing debate

Redmond Planning Commission members on Nov. 19 reviewed staff recommendations to change a split land‑use and zoning designation on a single parcel at 6901/6900 188th Avenue NE from business park to citywide mixed use (land use) and corridor mixed use (zone). Senior planner Glenn Coyle told commissioners the parcel is roughly 5.28–5.82 acres, that the map amendment is a comprehensive‑plan (Type 6) action and not tied to a specific development, and that the technical committee found the amendments met Redmond zoning code criteria.

Why it matters: The parcel sits at the intersection of competing city goals — increasing housing supply to meet Redmond 2050 targets and preserving land for research, manufacturing and business park employment. Public comment and commissioners focused on whether rezoning would permanently reduce employment land capacity and how the city would measure fiscal and job impacts before recommending any change.

David Morton, a resident who spoke during public comment, urged the commission to weigh long‑term economic consequences before removing business‑park acreage. “This is more than a zone change; it’s a strategic choice about Redmond’s future economic base,” Morton said, arguing the proposal could “undermine job creation and business land supply policies” and that projected commercial offsets in a mixed‑use development are speculative without concrete tax‑revenue analysis.

Sam Blattner, representing Columbia Pacific Advisors, the property owner, told the commission the requested update to the split zoning would allow flexibility for residential development that could include affordable units and better connect to nearby uses such as Southeast Redmond Park and Lake Washington School District property. Blattner asked the commission to study the map amendment and said the owner would provide written responses to follow‑up questions.

Commissioners sought more data before making a recommendation to council. Chair Weston and Commissioner Copley asked staff for comparative figures on jobs per acre under business‑park versus mixed‑use designations, counts or percentages of smaller and BIPOC‑owned businesses in business parks (which staff said may be approximated from business license data), and a generic estimate of potential housing capacity derived from allowed FAR and height limits.

Staff responses and context: Glenn Coyle said some high‑level economic analysis exists from the Redmond 2050 process but that more granular, zone‑specific jobs‑per‑acre numbers and business‑license breakdowns would require additional research. He reiterated that the map change is a policy action — not a site development decision — and that site‑specific public‑facilities capacity (water, sewer, transportation, fire) will be evaluated during any future development review.

Ownership and nearby public‑facility questions also shaped discussion. Commissioner Van Niman noted adjacent business‑park land to the north is owned by the Lake Washington School District; Coyle confirmed the district holds a long‑term capital facilities plan that contemplates a future high school on that block but that timing is determined by the district.

What’s next: Staff set a public hearing on the land‑use amendment for Dec. 17, 2025, and said they will include added context in the packet (for example, noting when nearby parcels are school‑district‑owned). Commissioners asked staff to prepare an issues matrix with the requested data and to provide a conservative estimate of housing units based on the corridor mixed‑use FAR and height, with caveats about variables in actual development outcomes.

No formal recommendation or vote on the land‑use map amendment occurred at the Nov. 19 study session; city council remains the decision‑making body and will receive the commission’s recommendation after the public hearing and subsequent study session.