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Planning staff returns Redmond 2050 code items to council: EV readiness, carbon tracking and new name for small amenity spaces
Summary
Planning staff asked council to send electric‑vehicle readiness standards to the Planning Commission for inclusion in the 2025 code package, described feasible limits for embodied‑carbon tracking (steel, concrete, insulation), and proposed renaming small private amenity open spaces to avoid confusion with park‑like POPS.
Planning Director Carol Helland and planner Jeff Churchill updated council on three outstanding Redmond 2050 code items and sought direction to proceed to adoption in November.
On electric vehicle infrastructure, staff recommended folding potential local standards into the Planning Commission’s 2025 green building and code package so the commission can hold hearings and return recommendations in early 2025. Staff noted the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050 already includes policy language supporting local EV charging infrastructure and that the commission could develop standards that go above the minimums the building code requires. Councilmembers said they supported having the Planning Commission study the issue and return recommendations.
On carbon tracking, staff described a feasible approach: limiting required embodied‑carbon tracking to the three most carbon‑intensive materials for many projects — steel, concrete and insulation — and providing links to available embodied‑carbon calculators (including one specific to low‑rise development and a free tool) in the green building appendix. Staff said these limits make the requirement reasonable and implementable.
Finally, staff clarified terminology around privately owned public spaces. The parks plan uses the acronym POPS to describe park‑like privately owned public spaces governed by park rules; the zoning open‑space chapter used the same acronym for smaller amenity spaces that do not meet park planning requirements. Staff proposed renaming the smaller category to "publicly accessible enhanced amenity spaces" (abbreviated "P's") to avoid confusion; council agreed to review redlined code language on Nov. 4 alongside other adoption materials.
Staff will return detailed redlines and recommendations to the council and Planning Commission materials in November to support adoption actions in the months to follow.
