Our Future Vision for Redmond in 2022

 
(Excerpts from Redmond Comprehensive Plan)

In 2022, Redmond citizens describe their community as one that is complete, offering a wide range of services, opportunities, and amenities. It’s a community that has gracefully accommodated growth and change while ensuring that Redmond’s high quality of life, cherished natural features, distinct places, and character are not overwhelmed. It’s a place where people are friendly, diversity and innovation are embraced, and action is taken to achieve community objectives. It’s a place that is home to people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, which contribute to the richness of the city’s culture.

Downtown is an outstanding place to work, shop, live and recreate and is a destination for many in Redmond and in the region. Attractive offices, stores, services, and residential developments have contributed to a new level of vibrancy while retaining a small-town feel that appeals to residents and visitors alike. Many more people live Downtown, and housing choices include a significant share of moderately priced residences. Strategic public and private investments have created a true multi-dimensional urban center with several new and expanded public amenities.

Various portions of Downtown have their own identity, design and appeal yet it is easy to walk, bicycle, use transit or drive between them as well as to the rest of Redmond. While pedestrian and bicycle access are emphasized, Downtown also provides for vehicular access and those who wish to drive through have other preferred routes to use. 

Old Town thrives as a focus for retail activity that attracts pedestrians, providing a distinctive selection of stores, restaurants, boutiques, and theater, as well as varied housing. New buildings blend with refurbished buildings, retaining the area’s historic character. Cleveland Street is a pleasant place to walk or sit and people fill the street during the day and evening.

Large open spaces, such as the Sammamish River, Anderson Park, and Bear Creek, as well as abundant landscaping and a system of parks and other gathering places, create a sense of Downtown as an urban place within a rich natural environment. A network of walkways, trails, vista points, and plazas enable people to enjoy the natural beauty of the river, views of surrounding hillsides and mountains and other points of interest. 

Overlake has become recognized as a regional urban center that is the location of internationally known companies, corporate headquarters, high technology research and development companies, and many other businesses. Redevelopment of the area in the southernmost part of Overlake has brought retail storefronts closer to the street and improvements to streetscapes to reflect the green character of Redmond, making the area more hospitable to transit, pedestrians and bicyclists. In many ways Overlake has demonstrated that high technology uses can thrive in a balanced urban setting that offers opportunities to live, work, shop, and recreate to an increasingly diverse workforce.

Residential neighborhoods are treasured for their attractiveness, friendliness, diversity, safety, and quietness. Redmond includes a broad choice of housing types at a range of prices, including affordable homes. New homes blend with existing homes and the natural environment, retaining valued characteristics of existing neighborhoods as they continue to evolve. Through careful planning and community involvement, changes and innovation in housing styles and development have been successfully embraced by the whole community.

Redmond has maintained a strong economy and a diverse job base. The City is the home to many small, medium-size and locally owned businesses and services, as well as nationally and internationally recognized corporations. Redmond is widely recognized as a community that is inviting for advanced technology, and businesses are proud to be partners in the community. The City provides a business climate that attracts sustainable development to the community and retains existing businesses.

Neighborhood and community parks contribute to a high quality of life in Redmond by providing a full array of opportunities ranging from active recreation, such as sports and games, to more restful and reflective activities, such as walking and viewing wildlife. Residents enjoy larger natural areas, such as Watershed and Farrel‑McWhirter Parks, as well as smaller open spaces and gathering places located throughout the City close to residences and work places. Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and programs meet the needs of residents of all ages. Redmond has also developed an excellent system of bike paths and trails that are used for recreation, commuting and riding to schools, parks, and other destinations.

Redmond has embraced energy efficient and environmentally sound transportation systems. The City has invested strategically and leveraged regional funds to improve transportation choices and mobility, and every year more people walk, bicycle, carpool, or use transit or alternative fuel vehicles to travel. Overlake and Downtown are extensively served by high capacity transit that provides easy access to many destinations in the region.

Infrastructure and services have been provided to meet the needs of a growing population as well as to correct existing deficiencies. The planning and placement of utilities in Redmond has supported the community’s vision for the location and amount of growth. Long-term planning for utilities has contributed to a high quality of life for Redmond residents and businesses by ensuring efficient utility delivery. Proper utility planning has also protected Redmond’s natural environment and resources.

Redmond has excellent police and fire protection and well-maintained and dependable public facilities. The community continues to enjoy a rapid fire and emergency response, professional police work, beautiful parks, pure water, and effective wastewater and stormwater management because the capital facilities needed to provide these services were, and still are, planned for the long-term. An efficient multi-modal transportation system has taken shape and is continually improved.

Redmond citizens embrace and support the high-quality educational, cultural, and recreational facilities in the community. The City works as a partner with schools, businesses, service providers, and other organizations and jurisdictions to help strengthen a human services network that provides vulnerable persons the food, shelter, job training, child care, and other services they need to become more independent.

Redmond has maintained a very green character. The City is framed within a beautiful natural setting and open spaces and an abundance of trees continue to define Redmond’s physical appearance. A system of interconnected open spaces provides habitat for a variety of wildlife. The City prides itself for its environmental stewardship, including an emphasis on sustainable land use and development patterns, landscaping that requires little watering, and other techniques to protect and conserve the natural environment while flourishing as a successful urban community.

Redmond is an integral member of the regional planning community. Redmond continues to work cooperatively in regional planning with neighboring jurisdictions, King County, neighboring counties, State agencies, and other jurisdictions. Redmond is an active member of regional planning organizations where it simultaneously advances the interests of Redmond citizens and works toward regional goals.

Redmond is an effective, responsive local government that responds to and anticipates the changing needs of the community. Many citizens actively participate in Redmond’s planning process and system improvements, and their preferences are incorporated so that Redmond continues to be the community desired by its citizens.