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Planning commission previews 2025 Redmond 2050 code package, schedules hearings
Summary
The Redmond Planning Commission continued review of the 2025 Redmond 2050 code package Oct. 9, covering consolidated use regulations, special districts (TOD focus areas and a Marymoor cultural district), home‑business and retail use changes, and a draft schedule for public hearings in November and December.
The Redmond Planning Commission on Oct. 9 continued review of the 2025 Redmond 2050 code package, focusing on where use rules will live in the revised zoning code and on several district‑level proposals. Jeff Churchill, principal staff lead, told commissioners the meeting covered the ‘‘use’’ side of the package and that draft redlines for part 1 will be in packets for November, with a public hearing on Nov. 6 and a December hearing for part 2 that includes affordable‑housing text.
Why it matters: the code rewrite consolidates scattered use regulations into a single chapter (21.04) to reduce duplication, clarifies measurement and site‑planning rules, and establishes new special districts and overlays that change development potential in downtown and Marymoor. Those changes will shape where housing, retail and neighborhood businesses can locate and the incentives available to encourage public‑benefit features.
Staff said 21.04 will gather use tables and special use regulations previously scattered across the code; items such as accessory dwelling units, cottage regulations and other special residential rules will be moved into that chapter. Permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and emergency housing will remain in chapter 21.57 rather than moving into 21.04. Staff also described an updated chapter for special districts and overlays (21.05) including TOD focus areas for downtown and Marymoor that would allow building heights up to 12 stories with incentives. Marymoor projects above six stories will require project‑level SEPA review because prior environmental analysis assumed up to six stories.
Commissioners raised site‑specific questions and asked staff to add multiple clarifications to the issues matrix: how ‘‘materially detrimental’’ impacts from home businesses would be measured and enforced, whether signage standards for home businesses should be explicit, how accessory commercial colocation would be defined and limited, and whether certain parcels (including the farmers market parcel) should be excluded from up‑zones to preserve options for public programming. Staff confirmed they will include those questions and more detailed tables in upcoming packets.
Looking ahead: staff said redlines for the requirements and incentives portion will be provided ahead of the November packet, with public hearings planned Nov. 6 (part 1) and Dec. 4 (part 2). Commissioners were encouraged to visit candidate neighborhood sites and to submit written issues for inclusion in the record.
The commission adjourned after brief staff and commissioner updates. The next study session will focus primarily on design standards.
