URBAN CENTERS

Future Vision for Redmond: Urban Centers

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 in 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. Many visitors park in one of the conveniently located garages and walk or take transit to get to their destinations. 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 focus for retail activity that attracts pedestrians, providing a distinctive selection of stores, restaurants, boutiques, and theaters, as well as varied housing opportunities. New buildings blend with refurbished buildings, retaining the area’s historic character. Cleveland Street is a pleasant place to walk or sit, and people stroll 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 enables people to enjoy the natural beauty of the river, views of surrounding hillsides and mountains, and other points of interest. Recent developments along the Sammamish River are oriented to and embrace the river, while maintaining adequate natural buffers.

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. While intensively and efficiently developed, the employment areas retain their campus-like feel due to attractive landscaping and the protection of significant trees and other important natural features.

During the past 20 years, 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. This portion of Overlake has also become much more diverse, featuring small neighborhoods with a mix of housing, small-scale shopping and services to serve employees and residents, and connections to a network of parks, sidewalks, and trails. 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.

Organization of This Element

Introduction

 

A.    Downtown Neighborhood Policies

    Introduction

    General Policies

    Downtown Districts Policies

 

B.     Overlake Neighborhood Policies

    Public Participation in the Neighborhood Plan Update

    Neighborhood Vision

    General Policies

    Overlake Subarea Policies

Introduction

The community’s vision for Downtown Redmond is based upon many years of workshops and forums with people who live and work in Redmond. At these workshops, citizens have agreed that the Downtown should be a place that:

 

Community workshop

◊    Meets community needs for employment, shopping, recreation, civic activities, cultural, and night life opportunities – in other words, an 18-hour downtown;

◊    Provides attractive and safe places to live close to amenities, such as restaurants and cafes, a wide selection of stores and services, and plazas and parks;

◊    Is oriented to pedestrians and bicycles, with attractive “local” streets appropriate for a destination environment;

◊    Is an urban area enhanced by a rich natural setting, including open space, trees and other landscaping, and a focus on the Sammamish River; and

◊    Is a place where people want to be, that maintains its small-town feel and sense of Redmond’s history and historic buildings.

The policies in this element are designed to help the community achieve its vision of a strong and lively downtown, and thus contribute positively to the richness of Redmond’s quality of life. To fulfill the future vision, the Comprehensive Plan requires both private and public actions. Private actions are needed to provide desired developments and high-quality design, while public investments and programs are necessary to draw people to the heart of the City, beautify City facilities, and encourage private investment.

A. DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICIES

Introduction

Redmond’s Downtown and Overlake are both major activity and employment centers. The Comprehensive Plan continues to direct the majority of the City’s employment and housing growth to these two areas. In recognition and support of this continued growth, portions of the Downtown and Overlake Neighborhoods are designated as Urban Centers by the King County Countywide Planning Policies and the Multicounty Planning Policies for the central Puget Sound region.

Center designations are a strategy employed in King County and in the central Puget Sound region for purposes of growth management and transportation planning, and for programming of regional transportation funds to areas of concentrated growth. Centers throughout the County are envisioned as higher density focal points within communities, attracting people and businesses to advantages such as an excellent transportation system and diverse economic opportunities, a variety of well-designed and distinctive places to live, and proximity to shopping, recreation and other amenities.

The Urban Centers Element contains policies specific to the two Redmond neighborhoods that contain urban centers: Downtown and Overlake. Like the neighborhood plans contained in the Neighborhoods Element, the overall goal of these plans is to enhance the quality of life for all who live or work in these urban centers. Planning for the Downtown and Overlake neighborhoods follows the process, techniques, and implementation strategies described in the Neighborhoods Element.

General Policies

Land Use

The Downtown is one of Redmond’s primary centers of activity, and over the next 20 years, will continue to attract growth in housing and employment. The Downtown includes a wide range of uses and activities now and the policy is to maintain and enhance this variety and intensity. The land use policies guide development in a manner that will serve the needs and desires of existing and future residents, businesses, and visitors of the greater Redmond area while ensuring that changes in the Downtown reflect the existing character and scale of the neighborhood.

DT-1	Enhance the Downtown Neighborhood by creating visually distinctive, pedestrian-oriented districts as follows (see Map DT-1):

♦    Old Town and Town Center: A pedestrian-oriented retail and entertainment core that provides opportunities for comparison shopping for a wide variety of goods and services and creates an active focus for the Downtown and City;

♦    Sammamish Trail, Town Square, River Bend, and Anderson Park: Mixed-use residential/office districts adjacent to the retail core that accommodate employment and housing growth in high-quality environments;

♦    Valley View, Bear Creek, and Trestle: Convenience retail districts at the entrances to the Downtown that provide for everyday shopping needs, such as groceries, pharmacies, and other convenience retail goods and services, while reducing the need for lengthy trips; and

♦    River Trail, Carter, and East Hill: Residential districts at the periphery of the Downtown that provide a variety of attractive housing choices within quiet neighborhoods a short walk from jobs, stores, services, recreation, and transit.

DT-2	Support the Downtown as one of Redmond’s primary locations for residential development to help create an economically healthy and vibrant Downtown in the morning, daytime, and evening.
DT-3	Promote the Downtown as a location for a variety of businesses, including retail, office, services, and advanced technology industries that are compatible with a mixed-use urban environment. Recognize the unique nature of small and independently owned businesses by placing a special emphasis on encouraging these businesses through flexible regulations, incentives, or other innovative measures.
DT-4	Retain existing Downtown boundaries and encourage redevelopment and infill within these boundaries. Encourage informally designed landscaping and open space on the edges of the Downtown to act as a transition to adjacent neighborhoods and to Marymoor Park.
DT-5	Apply flexible regulations that encourage creative proposals consistent with Downtown policies. Consider favorably land use changes or plan amendments that allow projects consistent with the vision and framework policies for the Downtown.
DT-6	Support creation of an economic development and marketing strategy to carry out the Downtown vision and policies.
DT-7	Create and implement facility plans for the Downtown to provide adequate utilities, transportation, and other infrastructure for desired growth and to facilitate development. Carry out a capital improvement strategy to implement these improvements, as well as pedestrian improvements, bikeways, beautification projects, parks, trails, and civic facilities in the Downtown.

A portion of the BNSF railroad right-of-way extends through the Downtown. The right-of-way is approximately 100 feet wide and is a significant asset within Redmond. Discussion of community preferences regarding the character and use of the right-of-way began with the Downtown Master Transportation Plan. The policies below build on these preferences and provide direction for future improvement of the railroad right-of-way, as well as further development of adjoining properties.

DT-8	Purchase, plan for, and improve the BNSF railroad right-of-way within the Downtown in order to:

♦    Preserve sufficient area for a trail, open space, and high-capacity transit/light rail;

♦    Link the north and south parts of the Downtown through additional right-of-way crossings for vehicles, as well as improvements to encourage easy and safe pedestrian access along and across the railroad corridor;

♦    Improve its aesthetic appeal through enhancements, such as trees, landscaping, and gathering places for enjoyment of visual or performing art;

♦    Include elements of the historic railroad as part of improvements within the right-of-way; and

♦    Ensure through development of specific design guidelines that improvements within the railroad right-of-way and on adjacent properties relate to and support the character of adjoining districts, particularly Old Town.

DT-9	Develop a phasing plan for those capital improvement projects within the BNSF railroad right-of-way that cannot be fully built or funded, such as potential trails or transit features, with the goal of ensuring that constructed phases are logical components of the larger capital project.
DT-10	Ensure when new development, redevelopment, or exterior remodeling takes place on properties adjoining the BNSF railroad right-of-way that facade treatments facing the right-of-way are attractively designed to create an engaging environment for users of future trail, high-capacity transit/light rail, park, or open spaces.

Downtown, together with Overlake and SE Redmond, are the portions of Redmond long identified in the Comprehensive Plan as preferred locations for high-capacity transit/light rail stations. As Sound Transit plans for high-capacity transit/light rail, the City must ensure that its station and alignment interests are reflected in the development and construction of the East King County high-capacity transit/light rail. The character and function of Redmond’s future high-capacity transit/light rail stations will vary to reflect land use and transportation goals specific to the Downtown, Overlake and SE Redmond Neighborhoods. The following Comprehensive Plan policies articulate the City’s preferences concerning the general character of the stations and surrounding areas.

DT-11

Recognize that the City of Redmond’s preference for high-capacity transit/light rail alignment, station locations, and park and ride location illustrated in Map DT-1.5 best fits Redmond’s needs for a planned high-capacity transit/light rail extension from Overlake to Downtown.

 

DT-12

Prepare detailed Downtown high-capacity transit/light rail station area plans in cooperation with Sound Transit and other stakeholders. Do this to create a dynamic and high-quality urban place that emphasizes pedestrian activity and minimizes parking facilities through consideration of design, land use density and mix, community facilities, and public and private investments. Evaluate Downtown districts adjoining stations for revisions in preferred land uses and densities. Provide for a park and ride to address commuter parking needs at the SE Redmond high-capacity transit/light rail station.

Character and Design

The Downtown has an identity distinct from the rest of the City as Redmond’s primary community gathering place. Enhancing the Downtown as a desirable place for people to live, work, and gather with friends depends on ensuring that it is a place where people want to visit, conduct business, and spend time. The Downtown vision retains and builds on the strengths of the past, including the City’s heritage, its high-quality environment, and its attractive civic places.

DT-13	Ensure that building heights in the Downtown respect views of treelines and adjacent hillsides, and contribute to the development of an urban place that feels comfortable for pedestrians. Achieve this by limiting building heights to five and six stories in general, and allowing exceptions for additional height in a portion of the Town Center and elsewhere when accompanied by exceptional public amenities.
DT-14	Enhance the beauty of the Downtown built environment through superior design and use of high-quality and durable building materials. Soften the appearance of buildings, service areas, and parking facilities through landscaping, use of architectural screens, and retention of desirable trees.
DT-15	Identify and create excellent public places in the Downtown that:

♦    Offer activities and uses that attract people;

♦    Include details, such as good seating and bike racks, that are welcoming and helpful;

♦    Are easy to see and to access, and are safe; and

♦    Foster interactions among visitors.

DT-16

Reinforce the Downtown as Redmond’s primary location for civic places that are a focus for activity, such as the Saturday Market, the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, and cultural or educational facilities.

Saturday market

DT-17

Encourage pedestrian activity within the Downtown, including informal gatherings, through public and private investment in improvements along the streetscape, such as:

♦    Street furniture, such as benches and kiosks, that provides a unifying element;

♦    Parks, plazas, and other “people places”;

♦    Visual features, such as fountains, squares, and sculptures;

♦    Signage and markers to assist with wayfinding; and

♦    An intensified planting program, including special median plantings, flower baskets and/or other seasonal plant displays.

DT-18

Identify historic resources that are defining features of Redmond’s Downtown and use the following techniques to preserve the historic character:

♦    Encourage landmark nomination.

♦    Encourage restoration and maintenance.

♦    Incorporate historic building facades or elements of the existing historic buildings into new development.

♦    Ensure that design of new developments adjacent to Historic Landmarks respect the historic character of those buildings, and encourage design sympathetic to historic character where adjacent historic buildings are likely to qualify for landmarks.

♦    Ensure that objects of historic significance, such as the rail throw switch, the parking meter, or the school bell, and structures such as the trestle, are saved and integrated into parks, developments, or public places.

Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and the Arts

The community’s long-standing vision has been to promote the sense of the Downtown as a lively urban area within a beautiful natural setting. This will be achieved by retaining and enhancing existing open spaces and natural features, and adding new parks and recreational opportunities, to create a cohesive system of parks, plazas and gathering places, active play areas, and connecting paths and trails. Cultural events and public art displays, such as the Art Loop, which can draw people to the heart of the City, will also be emphasized. This system invites a wide range of activities, from strolling through a sculpture garden or enjoying a community celebration to bicycling or playing volley ball at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. Map DT-2 and Table DT-2 show existing and proposed parks and open space in the Downtown.

Downtown public art

 

Table DT-2 
Redmond Downtown Parks

Park Name	Location	Type	Acreage (acres)	Status
Municipal Campus	City Hall Campus/ NE 85th	Resource Park; -Special Use	11	To be redeveloped with construction of new City Hall
Edge Skate Park	NE 83rd Street/ 161st Avenue NE	Resource Park; -Special Use	1.4	Developed
Luke McRedmond Landing	Redmond Way/ 159th Avenue NE	Resource Park; -Special Use	2.11	Developed
Town Center Open Space	Along Bear Creek Parkway	Resource Park; -Open Space	44.00	Owned by Town Center, City maintains multi-use trail
Bear Creek Park	Bear Creek/ Union Hill Road	Resource Park; -Open Space	11.10	Future paved trail and picnic sites
O’Leary Park	Leary Way/ Redmond Way	Resource Park; -Special Use	0.11	Developed
Flagpole Plaza	Redmond Way/ Leary Way	Resource Park; -Special Use	0.11	Developed
Anderson Park	168th Avenue NE/ Redmond Way	Neighborhood Park	2.80	Developed
Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center (ORSCC)	166th Avenue NE/ NE 80th Street	Neighborhood Park and Community Center	3.00	Building partially developed, with improved parking. Outdoor recreation not improved
Old Firehouse Teen Center	16510 NE 79th Street	Resource Park; Special Use	0.87	Developed
Slough House	7447 159th Place NE	Resource Park; -Special Use	1.67	Currently King County, to be transferred to City
Rotary Park	Located west of Sammamish River across from Luke McRedmond Landing	Resource Park; -Open Space	0.25	Located within King County-owned Sammamish River Trail
River Walk	Both sides of Sammamish River between Redmond Way/Railroad Bridge	City Planning Department project	5.16	River and habitat restoration project. Located within the King County Sammamish River Regional Trail Corridor
Sammamish River Regional Trail	Paved multi-purpose trail with parallel soft surface	King County owned	9.4 miles with 3.5 miles in City limits	Extends from Marymoor Park to Burke-Gilman Trail in Bothell
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Right-of-Way (BNSF)	Railroad Right-of-Way from Bear Creek to 90th Street	Undetermined	21.85 acres within 1.8 miles	Proposed: To be acquired; future use to be determined
Heron Rookery and Workshop Tavern Site	7541 Leary Way NE	Resource Park; -Open Space	5.32	Proposed to be maintained as open space; future use of tavern site to be determined
Shop Site	7735 Leary Way NE	Resource Park; -Special Use	3.02	City owns; future use to be determined

DT-19	Promote the vision of the parks, trails and open spaces in Downtown as being part of a cohesive system of public spaces that is integral to distinguishing Downtown as an urban “people place” within a vibrant natural setting.
DT-20	Develop and maintain a variety of linkages, such as paths and wayfinding elements, among parks and open spaces to create and identify an interconnected system of public spaces in the Downtown that are within walking distance of each other.

 

Mid-block path

DT-21	Retain and enhance existing parks in the Downtown and add new parks in locations, such as the former King County shops site, along the Sammamish River, and in the mixed-use residential/office districts.
DT-22	Encourage the development of active recreational facilities for those who live or work Downtown, including on-site active recreational opportunities as part of private residential development.
DT-23	Plan and provide for public investment in active recreational facilities that serve a variety of needs and may contain uses such as half-court basketball, tennis courts, or an aquatic facility.
DT-24	Foster the growth and addition of visual and performing arts experiences and opportunities Downtown by:

♦    Encouraging development of an arts center that supports performing and visual arts and educational programs;

♦    Encouraging inclusion of public art features with all private and public development;

♦    Supporting programs that locate public art features in key locations; and

♦    Activating public spaces with special events and performances.

DT-25

Identify and create Downtown gateways that are integrated with the transportation system, including bicycle and pedestrian connections, using artwork, signage, landscape features and structures. Work with private property owners to help create gateway design features.

DT-26

Develop and maintain the open space on the Municipal Campus as a community gathering place with access to the Sammamish River. Incorporate green areas for recreation, plazas, water features, and outdoor spaces for performing arts and visual arts displays.

 

 

DT-27	Encourage and support events, such as cycling-related activities and art and music programs, that attract people to the Downtown, particularly Old Town and Town Center.
DT-28	Ensure that development adjacent to the Sammamish River, Bear Creek, and other Downtown parks complements and enhances these areas through techniques, such as:

♦    Providing secondary pedestrian entrances, balconies and other building features that enable people to interact with the natural environment;

♦    Providing convenient public access to the park;

♦    Complementing the park with connecting landscaping, picnic areas, plazas, and other pedestrian features;

♦    Locating parking lots, garages, auto-oriented signing, and service areas where they are not visible from the park;

♦    Using creative design concepts and construction methods to protect natural features; and

♦    Designing surface detention ponds and bioswales next to these parks to be attractive and accessible amenities, rather than barriers to the natural features.

Transportation

The community’s preference is for a variety of mobility choices to significantly increase access to, from, and within the Downtown. While there will be continued reliance on vehicle travel, future investments will also enable more safe and attractive opportunities for walking, using transit, or bicycling between stores, work, residences, parks, and other attractions.

 

DT-29

Increase mobility within the Downtown, promote environmental quality, and provide for convenient transit, pedestrian, and bicycle routes to and from the Downtown by:

♦    Encouraging commuter traffic to use bypass routes, which will reduce traffic on Downtown streets and allow better access to businesses;

♦    Encouraging use of transit, car pools, bicycles, walking, and other forms of transportation that limit congestion and parking demand;

♦    Establishing a Downtown transit center that is the focus for local and regional transit service between the Downtown, Redmond neighborhoods, the Eastside, and the region;

♦    Supporting an extension of the regional high-capacity transit/light rail system into Downtown to provide frequent all-day transit service;

♦    Providing bicycle facilities, such as connections to the Sammamish River Trail and other regional corridors, bicycle racks in new developments, bike lanes on key streets, and signage at key points;

♦    Completing Downtown sidewalk systems, mid-block pedestrian walkways, and bicycle lanes to provide strong linkages among destinations throughout the Downtown; and

♦    Encouraging City of Redmond employees who work in the Downtown to lead by example in walking, bicycling, carpooling, or using transit alternatives.

 

DT-30	Ensure that improvements in the Downtown, including streets, sidewalks, transit facilities, lighting, landscaping, and parking lots/structures, support a comfortable pedestrian environment and contribute to the area’s aesthetic appeal.
DT-31	Establish standards for special Downtown streetscape treatments to reinforce the identity of each of the districts and promote the Downtown’s aesthetic appeal. Consider use of treatments, such as special paving materials for sidewalks, street furniture, landscaping, and lighting. Ensure that these treatments are implemented as part of public and private development.

Sidewalk paving materials

DT-32

Create and implement a parking development and management program for the Downtown that:

♦    Minimizes on-site surface parking;

♦    Encourages shared, clustered parking to reduce the total number of stalls needed, and to increase the economic and aesthetic potential of the area;

♦    Encourages structured parking within or adjacent to the Downtown; and

♦    Maximizes on-street parking, particularly for use by those shopping or visiting the Downtown.

DT-33

Provide for convenient vehicular access to and within shopping areas, while avoiding congestion on arterial streets by:

♦    Providing for sufficient parking for retail businesses to meet normal parking demand, while avoiding excessive paving and underused land;

♦    Encouraging business driveway access onto local streets, rather than arterials, wherever feasible;

♦    Encouraging joint use of driveways and parking to minimize vehicle turning conflicts and reduce overall parking needs; and

♦    Separating and buffering walkways from vehicular circulation areas.

DT-34

Restore Redmond Way and Cleveland Street to two-way operation to improve the pedestrian and shopping ambiance by promoting slower vehicle speeds on Cleveland Street, and to improve local vehicular circulation and pedestrian access to individual businesses on Redmond Way and Cleveland Street. Restore these streets to two-way operation after specific improvements to extend Bear Creek Parkway have been started.

DT-35

Work proactively with other agencies to ensure that the design and construction of future transportation projects on SR 520 are compatible with the City’s Downtown land use and transportation objectives in order to:

♦    Ensure that future SR 520 lanes east of Downtown are compatible with local arterials;

♦    Support the most direct connection of SR 520 HOV lanes to the Bear Creek Park and Ride and any future transit centers in SE Redmond;

♦    Reserve capacity for high-capacity transit; and

♦    Avoid new, and reduce existing, adverse impacts from noise, light, and motor vehicle pollution associated with such projects in the area.

Ord. 2598; Ord. 2392

Downtown Districts

The Comprehensive Plan recognizes the Downtown as a single neighborhood – less than one square mile in size – that contains a series of sub-neighborhoods or districts. These individual districts will continue to develop as distinctly different places within the Downtown, characterized by different building heights, designs and land uses, distinctive entrance corridors, streetscapes, roadway designs, landscaping, and amenities. This variety maintains diverse and easily recognizable districts that draw people to them, and are easy to navigate through. Map DT-1 shows these districts.

Pedestrian-Oriented Retail Areas

Downtown Redmond contains two districts planned for extensive pedestrian-oriented retail activity, comparison shopping, and entertainment: Old Town and Town Center. The two districts are adjacent and will be linked through pedestrian and bicycle connections and visual features via connections across the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way. The block faces of the streets in these districts will be lined with continuous storefronts to enliven the pedestrian experience of these two areas.

Old Town

The Old Town district incorporates the original Downtown and includes a number of historic structures. Residents have repeatedly stated that they value the traditional Downtown character and historic structures. Policies for this district address how to retain that character as well as allowing future change.

DT-36	Ensure that development and redevelopment in Old Town retain the district’s historic village character and complement the character and scale of existing historic buildings. Maintain height limits appropriate to this character and the pedestrian environment.
DT-37	Encourage retention of historic buildings that define the character of Old Town through programs and administrative practices that encourage preservation and reinvestment.
DT-38	Actively support economic development measures that retain and promote existing businesses and attract new businesses compatible with the scale and vision for Old Town. Encourage a variety of economic activities, such as boutiques and other unique stores, restaurants, residences, and offices that promote Old Town as a destination and provide for active uses during the day and evening hours.
DT-39	Maintain and enhance the traditional Downtown “main street” character, which includes continuous pedestrian-oriented storefronts and pedestrian-scaled streetscapes, through specific attention to architectural detail, components of the streetscape, and the relationships between them.
DT-40	Enhance Old Town’s pedestrian activity, safety, and historic character by:

♦    Avoiding four-lane arterials through Old Town and developing vehicle routes that reduce the negative effects of through-traffic;

♦    Developing and implementing traffic-calming designs that maintain and enhance this district as a pedestrian-friendly place;

♦    Encouraging structured parking within or adjacent to Old Town, and requiring that structured parking within the district be designed to either blend with the historic character or be hidden; and

♦    Discouraging on-site parking next to the sidewalk edge.

 

DT-41	Encourage the retention and addition of afternoon and evening entertainment for the greater Redmond community, such as live theater and comedy, dining, dancing, and live music, to provide these entertainment opportunities close to home.
DT-42	Develop and adopt a handbook or strategic plan to guide the development of Cleveland Street from Redmond Way to Redmond Way, as a “Great Street” in order to encourage the creation of a unique, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly “main street” environment that:

♦    Creates informal outdoor gathering places;

♦    Utilizes streetscape beautification elements, such as street trees, seating areas, pedestrian-scaled street lighting, hanging flower baskets, art work and unique signage, to soften and enliven the pedestrian environment;

♦    Has strong linkages across the BNSF right-of-way for vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians; and

♦    Complements the historic character of the Old Town district.

Town Center

Town Center is one of the City’s primary gathering places. Its mix of shops and restaurants, offices, hotel rooms, and eventually residences in the heart of the City brings people together during the day and evenings for planned or casual meetings. The design of the buildings, street patterns, and public plazas are modern yet reflect the historic district in adjacent Old Town. Improvements in walking connections between the two districts will help both areas thrive. The long-term vision for Town Center is that it will continue to develop as a major gathering and entertainment place within the community, that its trails will be connected to Marymoor Park by a graceful connection across SR 520, and that transit service to and from the center will provide a choice equal in attractiveness to automobiles, walking, and biking.

The design and development of this district is controlled by a Master Plan established to ensure that development here integrates with and positively influences future redevelopment of the greater Downtown area, and retains traditional building styles, street patterns, variety of uses, and public amenities.

DT-43

To maintain the Town Center district’s health, vitality, and attractions, ensure that continued development and redevelopment in the center:

♦    Retain and protect the site’s significant natural and aesthetic features, including healthy mature trees, stream courses, and indigenous vegetation, particularly adjacent to Bear Creek and the Sammamish River;

♦    Provide plazas, pedestrian malls, and other open spaces that promote outdoor activity and encourage pedestrian and bicycle circulation between the Town Center and the rest of Downtown;

♦    Provide and maintain opportunities for recreation and leisure activities and programs that complement other uses in the district and the rest of Downtown and generate pedestrian activity;

♦    Complement and are compatible with the Old Town historic district and preserve the Justice White House, the Saturday Market, and other features of community and historic significance within Town Center;

♦    Encourage the addition and retention of after-work-hours and late-evening entertainment, such as live theater and comedy, dining, dancing, and live music, to provide a lively entertainment area adjacent to Old Town;

♦    Maintain a minimum of 600,000 square feet of gross leasable area dedicated to retail uses;

♦    Provide structured parking to minimize visual impacts and encourage pedestrian activity;

♦    Provide for circulation, land use, and parking linkages with the existing Downtown to attract, encourage, and facilitate the movement of shoppers between Town Center and other parts of the Downtown;

♦    Enhance Bear Creek Parkway with additional “boulevard” landscape treatments, including tree lined medians, pedestrian refuges, and street trees on both sides of the roadway, to soften its appearance, provide a landscaped transition between the built environment and the Bear Creek open spaces, promote safe pedestrian connections, and preserve the open spaces and environmentally sensitive areas adjacent to and near it;

♦    Preserve at least 44 acres for use as public open space as indicated on Map DT-3, Mixed-Use Design District Public Open Space Plan; and

♦    Encourage the addition of residential development.

DT-44	Encourage development of residential uses by maintaining the maximum commercial building area for Town Center of 1,490,000 square feet without transfer development rights (TDRs), or 1,800,000 square feet with the use of TDRs.
DT-45	Improve access between Town Center and Marymoor Park for pedestrians and bicyclists by developing a graceful and attractive connection across SR 520.

Convenience Commercial Areas

The convenience commercial areas of Downtown include the Valley View, Trestle, and Bear Creek districts. These three districts are located at the major entrances to the Downtown to conveniently serve shoppers both within and from outside the neighborhood. These districts are intended to provide for everyday, basic shopping needs and services, such as groceries, pharmacies, and other convenience retail goods and services. The policies for these districts are designed to ensure that land uses and redevelopment in the area are compatible with shopping and service needs of the community and surroundings, as well as with the long-term Downtown vision of encouraging a more pedestrian-supportive, mixed-use environment in these districts.

 

DT-46	Provide for convenience commercial centers at entrances to the Downtown to provide convenient bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular access from residential and employment areas, and reduce the need to travel through the Downtown.
DT-47	Ensure that convenience commercial districts continue to provide basic daily goods and services, such as groceries, pharmacies, dry cleaner outlets, and other convenience retail goods and services that meet the needs of the Redmond community.
DT-48	Ensure that new development, redevelopment, additions, and remodels of existing buildings and centers located at gateways to the Downtown further improve the visual appeal of these portals to the neighborhood.
DT-49	Consider allowing additional building height, up to four stories, and additional residential densities for redevelopment of retail centers into urban village forms that provide desirable mid-block streets and pedestrian-supportive streetscapes to improve the pedestrian safety and character of these districts. Promote design of any such redevelopment to contribute to community goals, such as creation of plazas and open spaces, and require that the following provisions, at a minimum, are achieved:

♦    Desired basic retail goods and services, such as groceries and pharmacies, are retained or provided in the affected redevelopment area;

♦    Parking for the site is conveniently located but not dominating the street front;

♦    Off-street parking requirements are maintained at the “convenience commercial” ratio for the district;

♦    Additional building height can transition gracefully from nearby lower density neighborhoods; and

♦    Adequate transportation and other public facilities and services can be provided.

DT-50

Repealed by Ord. 2392.

Mixed-Use Residential/Office Districts

The Downtown Neighborhood contains four distinct mixed-use residential/office districts, all intended to provide for significant residential growth, as well as opportunities for growth in professional, business, health, and personal services. The distinction between the districts is reinforced through variations in design and development standards and minor variations in land use.

The purpose of these districts is to foster the evolution of mixed-use residential/office neighborhoods Downtown in an attractive, urban environment within walking distance to daily retail and transit services and recreational opportunities.

Frazier Court

DT-51	Encourage vertical and horizontal mixes of residential and office uses throughout the mixed-use residential/office districts.
DT-52	Provide a variety of land use options for market-driven residential/office development that is consistent with the vision of the districts.
DT-53	Encourage retention, location, and expansion of professional, financial, and commercial office land uses for personal and business services in the area. Provide limited opportunities for complementary retail uses at ground level, allowing local stores without detracting from the retail cores.
DT-54	Regulate building height, design, and open space to provide transitions between Design Districts and to minimize impacts on adjacent residential or lower-scale districts.

Sammamish Trail

DT-55

Encourage development, including restaurants and retail uses, that focuses on, celebrates, and enhances the environment of the Sammamish River by:

♦    Providing open spaces, pedestrian walkways, bicycle and equestrian trails connected to the Sammamish River;

♦    Orienting building entrances, plazas, and upper story open spaces to the river trail;

♦    Encouraging building designs that are attractive and oriented to the river trail as well as the streets;

♦    Providing modulation in building heights and roof lines, encouraging lower portions closer to the river, and allowing greater height beyond the shoreline/sensitive area boundaries; and

♦    Enhancing degraded shorelines adjacent to new development consistent with the Shoreline Master Plan.

City Hall along Sammamish River

Town Square

DT-56	Encourage new transit-oriented development in this district in order to take advantage of its proximity to local and regional transit opportunities.
DT-57	Encourage the redevelopment of the Park and Ride site into a multi-story, mixed-use transit-oriented development with housing, business, education, or cultural opportunities that are complementary to the Downtown Neighborhood.

Anderson Park

DT-58	Encourage the development of a mix of multi-story residential and office buildings that complement the surrounding districts. Allow limited retail space to provide convenient access without diluting the more concentrated retail cores of Old Town and Town Center districts.
DT-59	Ensure that new development on Redmond Way and Cleveland Street includes street-level building and landscaping design that enhances the long-term pedestrian character of these streets and complements Old Town.

River Bend

DT-60	Reinforce the role of this area as an entrance to Downtown by enhancing its appearance with streetscape improvements along with redevelopment. Use design standards to encourage the creation of mixed-use residential/office villages and buildings, and direct public and private investments to link the district to the Downtown core and the Sammamish River.
DT-61	Continue to preserve the “green” gateway on Leary Way, at the south end of Downtown, by means of land dedication, acquisition, or the use of transfer of development rights, design standards, and forest management.

Residential Districts

Downtown includes three residential districts at the periphery of the neighborhood that are intended to retain a quieter “residential” character than the other nearby mixed-use areas. These districts will provide a variety of housing types that are not primarily mixed-use, in developments that include more typical residential features, such as front yards, landscaping, and ground related patios and porches. These areas are all located within walking distance to the various retail and service areas in the Downtown.

River Trail residential district

River Trail, Carter, and East Hill Districts

DT-62

Promote the development of residential districts with buildings whose design, density, height and bulk reinforce a high-quality character by:

♦    Encouraging a variety of well-designed housing styles and densities;

♦    Applying development standards and guidelines to promote aesthetically pleasing, private, safe, and comfortable housing through design and open space; and

♦    Ensuring appropriate landscape design and installation in multi-family yards to enhance and maintain comfortable and appealing residential neighborhood environments.

DT-63	Provide desirable long-term living environments for a variety of age and economic groups by offering incentives to develop affordable housing and senior housing.
DT-64	Allow general service uses as part of the ground floor of residential developments when the non-residential uses are:

♦    Complementary and compatible with the nearby residences and does not detract from the relative calm and quiet of the districts;

♦    Designed to minimize potentially adverse impacts of increased traffic and parking in the area; and

♦    Designed in a manner that is consistent with residential buildings and the streetscape in the area.

East Hill District

The East Hill district is primarily comprised of Downtown’s original single-family neighborhood, with original street patterns, lot sizes, and houses dating back to the early 1900s. This area is envisioned to redevelop over time, with many of the original home sites being redeveloped with multi-story townhomes, condominiums, and apartments in developments that honor and reflect the character of the existing houses.

Within the East Hill district lies the Perrigo’s Plat Subarea, which is bounded by NE 85th Street, NE 80th Street, 164th Avenue NE, and 166th Avenue NE. William Perrigo established this original homestead in the early 1900s. Today, this area remains appealing due to its quaint and inviting character, including the large trees along the street, generous front yards, variety of building styles and features, sense of quiet and peacefulness, and unique bungalows.

The policies in this section are designed to retain the area’s special character and to ensure that the single-family residential structures and yards are well maintained until they are redeveloped with higher-density residential uses, or are converted to nonresidential uses that are compatible with the residential neighborhood.

DT-65	Provide incentives to retain existing single-family structures by allowing general service uses, and limited retail uses in these structures provided such nonresidential uses meet all other criteria specified in Policy DT-64 above.
DT-66	When considering different types of commercial land uses that may be compatible in the district, ensure that:

♦    Site designs for nonresidential uses in existing single-family structures are compatible with and complementary to the character of the district and the potential noise and vehicle impacts are limited; and

♦    On-site surface parking for such uses does not adversely impact the ambiance of the district.

DT-67	Provide development standards and guidelines for nonresidential uses in existing single-family structures to ensure the look, feel, and character of the residential neighborhood is maintained even with the conversion of the single-family structures to nonresidential uses.
DT-68	In the Perrigo’s Plat Subarea, provide development standards and guidelines to shape the creation of attractive new buildings and developments that:

♦    Emphasize features typically found in single-family neighborhoods, including pitched or mansard roofs, front doors, porches or stoops, chimneys, and house-like windows;

♦    Use visually appealing, high-quality, exterior building materials, such as brick, stone, masonry and copper;

♦    Maintain views from the street of open space between buildings by avoiding a continuous building face along the blocks;

♦    Complement the historic feel and green character of the streetscape of 165th Avenue NE in this area; and

♦    Contribute to retaining variety and visual interest in the subarea through techniques, such as variation in building features and site design elements.

DT-69

Retain and enhance 165th Avenue NE in Perrigo’s Plat as a unique and very pleasant place to live, work and visit by promoting features that define and contribute to this character, including:

♦    A canopy made up of a mix of larger- and smaller-scale trees;

♦    Generous planting strips, landscaped areas, and lawns to emphasize a green character;

♦    A narrow two-lane street with curb-side parking; and

♦    On-street parking to promote pedestrian safety.

Ord. 2392; Ord. 2224

B. Overlake Neighborhood Policies

The Overlake Neighborhood, with its mixed-use and commercial areas, corporate campuses, and residential neighborhoods, is located in the southwest corner of Redmond. The neighborhood is bounded on the west by 148th Avenue NE, on the north by NE 60th Street and State Route (SR) 520, and on the east by West Lake Sammamish Parkway and Bellevue-Redmond Road, which also forms the southern boundary with NE 20th Street. While the area commonly referred to as Overlake extends west into Bellevue, those areas are not part of the plan for Redmond’s Overlake Neighborhood, although they were considered in preparing policies for Overlake.

A. Public Participation in the Neighborhood Plan Update

The Overlake Neighborhood Plan was developed in partnership and close coordination with the area’s business and property owners, people who live or work in the area, interested community members, Redmond elected officials and members of several boards and commissions. The 2007 update of the Overlake Village and Employment Areas supplemented the work of the 1999 Citizens Advisory Committee with input and comments from three neighborhood events, several focus group and stakeholder meetings, and through the Redmond website. The 2010 update for the Residential Area engaged a three-member Citizen Advisory Committee to consider updates to the single-family portion of the Residential Area. They vetted their consideration of issues, opportunities, and long-term ideas with neighborhood residents at regularly scheduled work meetings, open houses, and through questionnaires, a neighborhood website and FOCUS magazine.

 

Overlake Design Charrette

B. Neighborhood Vision

The vision statement below is a word picture of the Overlake Neighborhood in the year 2030. It is intended to describe what the neighborhood will look and feel like when the Plan is implemented.

The Overlake Neighborhood provides excellent opportunities to live, raise a family, work, develop a business, shop, and recreate. Overall, it is a place that:

◊    Provides attractive and safe places to live close to amenities, such as restaurants and cafes, a wide selection of stores and services, and plazas and parks;

◊    Meets community needs for employment, shopping, recreation, and other uses in the morning, afternoon, and evening;

◊    Is oriented toward pedestrians and bicyclists, well served by local, regional and high-capacity transit/light rail, and offers strong multi-modal connections within its boundaries, and to nearby areas;

◊    Is an urban environment enhanced by abundant landscaping, parks, plazas and open spaces, and preservation of natural features; and

◊    Is a place that people want to be, with a unique character that is still distinctly Redmond.

Within the neighborhood are three subareas, shown in Map N-OV-1: Overlake Village, the Employment Area, and the Residential Area.

Overlake Village

This area has become a true urban, mixed-use neighborhood with a sense of place and activity that makes it attractive for living. It is part of a larger, vibrant commercial area that extends west into Bellevue with a mix of activities and uses, and is a destination for many in Redmond and in the region.

◊    Residences have been added near stores and services and many more people live in the area. Housing choices include residences attractive and affordable to a wide range of household sizes and income levels.

◊    Redevelopment has brought retail storefronts closer to the street, making the area more hospitable to transit, pedestrians, and bicycling. The neighborhood’s core, 152nd Avenue NE, is a pleasant place to walk or sit, and people stroll on the street during the day and evening. The redevelopment encourages the residents of surrounding Redmond and Bellevue neighborhoods to shop and work here.

◊    Small and international businesses have been retained, while others have arrived. It offers a mix of retail commercial opportunities that meet a range of needs, from daily goods and services, to niche and boutique retailers, to restaurants and entertainment.

◊    A system of plazas, parks and open spaces has developed providing residents, employees, and visitors with opportunities to gather, recreate, or enjoy the natural environment and abundant landscaping. A network of walkways and trails provide connections among these spaces and to others within the Overlake Neighborhood and in nearby areas.

Employment Area

The Employment Area is home to major corporations, advanced technology, research and development, and compatible manufacturing businesses. Over time, it has maintained a campus-like environment with attractive landscaping and the protection of important natural features while developing intensively yet efficiently.

◊    Improved connections, including high-capacity transit/light rail, between this area and Overlake Village allow employees greater pedestrian, bicycle and transit access to shops, entertainment, recreation, and residences.

◊    Smaller-scale mixed-use developments offer employees convenient shopping and services and the opportunity to live close to work.

◊    Together with Overlake Village, the area helps meet City and regional economic development goals by providing for economic diversity and high-wage employment. These core activity areas function and are recognized as a regional Urban Center, demonstrating 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 Areas

The Residential Areas, generally located in the northeastern portion of the neighborhood, are attractive and well maintained. Neighborhood parks and other amenities serve these areas.

◊    The single-family neighborhoods in the northeast command an east-facing slope with spectacular views of the Cascades, Marymoor Park and Lake Sammamish. An easy walk from Overlake’s employment area and adjacent to Downtown, they are in high demand.

◊    The multi-family areas provide housing close to employment. This convenient housing is well maintained and much in demand.

◊    Residential streets have little cut-through traffic, and cars travel at safe speeds.

The policies in this plan are designed to help the community achieve the above vision. Fulfilling the future vision requires both private and public actions. Private actions are needed to provide desired developments and high-quality design, while public investments and programs are necessary to draw people to this area and encourage private investment.

C. General Policies

The neighborhood planning process provided several opportunities to involve the public and improve communication between City government and the people who live, work or own property in the Overlake Neighborhood. Based on input received during the planning process, the City’s neighborhood team will continue to work to develop strong connections with the neighborhood and to enhance delivery of City services through a coordinated effort.

N-OV-1	Convene neighborhood residents, property owners, area employees, and the broader community periodically to reevaluate the vision for the neighborhood, progress made towards achieving the vision, urban design, and proposed public improvements in Overlake to ensure community objectives are being met. Evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the allowed uses, incentive program, parking standards, and design standards every five years.
N-OV-2	Initiate and encourage community involvement to foster a positive civic and neighborhood image by establishing programs to physically enhance neighborhoods.
N-OV-2.1	Support Overlake residents in ongoing and enhanced communication with the City as well as community building efforts.

Land Use

Overlake is one of Redmond’s primary centers of activity, and through 2030 will attract greater growth in housing and continue to attract employment growth. The neighborhood allows for a wide range of uses and activities now, and the intent is to maintain and enhance this variety and intensity. The land use policies guide development in a manner that will serve the needs and desires of existing and future residents, businesses, and visitors, while ensuring that changes enhance its character.

 

N-OV-3

Designate the following subareas within the Overlake Neighborhood

♦    Overlake Village: A vibrant mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented area with opportunities to live, work, shop and recreate.

♦    Employment Area: A regional employment center with a campus-like environment that also offers employees opportunities to live near work.

♦    Residential Area: Established single- and multi-family neighborhoods.

N-OV-4	Support Overlake as one of Redmond’s primary locations for residential development to help create an economically healthy and vibrant neighborhood in the morning, daytime, and evening. Promote the Overlake Village area as the primary location for mixed-use residential development within the neighborhood.
N-OV-5	Recognize and maintain Overlake’s important regional employment role. Encourage businesses that provide family-wage jobs, export services or goods, or help diversify the regional economy, to remain or locate in the area and grow consistent with adopted City policies.
N-OV-6	Support creation of an economic development and marketing strategy to carry out the Overlake vision and policies.
N-OV-7	Promote mixes of residential and commercial uses located either in a mixed-use building or among single-use buildings on a mixed-use site where appropriate.
N-OV-8	Protect neighborhoods in Redmond and Bellevue from potentially adverse impacts of uses and activities in Overlake Village and the Employment Area through such methods as:

♦    Locating uses with impacts, such as noise and glare, on a site in a manner to minimize such conflicts; and

♦    Scheduling and conducting construction, operations, maintenance, service activities, and other disruptive actions to minimize resulting impacts.

Overlake is located in a unique portion of Redmond that is bordered by the City of Bellevue on three sides. Redmond and Bellevue both emphasize the need for growth in the neighborhood to be well-balanced with available and planned public facilities, including transportation facilities and services. The policies below provide direction for achieving that balance.

N-OV-9

Consider allowing a total development capacity of up to 19.9 million square feet of retail, office, research and development, and manufacturing uses within the Overlake Neighborhood through the year 2030. Phase increases in nonresidential development capacity in the Overlake Business and Advanced Technology zone over time by linking increases to progress on mode-split goals, improvements to transportation facilities or services, increased residential development in Overlake, and the adequacy of parks, emergency services and other services needed for a daytime population.

N-OV-10

Continue to collaboratively plan with Bellevue to address common challenges and capitalize on common opportunities. Work together to implement jointly agreed-to plans and strategies. Consult on significant development approvals, plan amendments and development regulations, and address mitigation of potential adverse impacts through consultation. Systematically coordinate on transportation and other public facilities, such as regional stormwater treatment facilities that impact both cities.

Residential

As Redmond seeks to increase its supply and diversity of housing available to residents of various income levels and family types and sizes, a number of opportunities exist to provide for the housing needs of the community. In Overlake, providing more affordable home options could allow more employees in the area to live near work.

N-OV-11

Require a minimum of 10 percent of the units in all new housing developments of 10 units or greater in the Overlake Neighborhood to be affordable. Minimize development costs associated with this requirement by providing incentives and bonuses.

While the mixed-use areas of Overlake provide significant opportunities for future housing development, it is equally important to maintain and protect the existing residential areas and their character. The policy below provides direction on how to maintain and protect these areas.

N-OV-12

Provide for transitional uses and transitional building and site design to protect nearby residential neighborhoods. Include such techniques as:

♦    Maintaining the existing multi-family residential designations that act as transitional zones;

♦    Maintaining the current boundaries of the Employment Area by not extending into areas designated primarily for residential uses;

♦    Providing for transitional regulations, including a greenbelt and buffer along the west side of Bel-Red Road between NE 28th and 40th Streets; and

♦    Maintaining regulations on building bulk, building placement, site and building lighting, landscaping, noise control, and other appropriate measures.

Character and Design

Developing a distinct neighborhood character and sense of place depends on and in turn will ensure that Overlake remains a place where people want to live, conduct business, visit, and spend time. This character reflects Overlake’s diverse economy, unique natural features, and high-quality environment.

N-OV-13	Enhance the character and environment of the Overlake Neighborhood to achieve the vision. Encourage developments that create a character for Overlake that is distinct from the Downtown.
N-OV-14	Apply flexible regulations that encourage creative proposals for sites within Overlake Village and the Employment Area that are consistent with Overlake policies. Ensure that:

♦    Building height respects views of treelines;

♦    Developments contribute to the creation of an urban place that feels comfortable for pedestrians;

♦    Facades in the public view are varied and articulated; and

♦    Buildings do not appear bulky or massive.

N-OV-15

Enhance the appearance of Overlake’s built environment through superior design and use of high-quality and durable building materials. Soften the appearance of buildings, service areas, and parking facilities through landscaping, use of architectural screens, and retention of healthy trees.

Gateways that define the entry points of the City, Overlake Neighborhood or its subareas help people orient themselves and identify their location. Gateways also provide opportunities to display an image unique to the area through symbolic markers, landscaping, or monuments.

N-OV-16

Create gateways to the Overlake Neighborhood that convey the neighborhood’s identity and that are integrated with the transportation system, including bicycle and pedestrian connections, using features, such as artwork, signage, landscape features and structures. Work with property owners to help create gateway design features and coordinate with the City of Bellevue to communicate continuity across jurisdictional borders. Gateway locations include:

♦    148th Avenue NE at NE 20th Street;

♦    NE 24th Street at Bel-Red Road;

♦    NE 40th Street at Bel-Red Road; and

♦    NE 40th Street at 148th Avenue NE.

 

N-OV-17

Create gateways at the City border that welcome residents, employees and visitors to Redmond. Consider the NE 31st/36th Street Bridge across SR 520 as a gateway. Consider the creation of a regional stormwater facility at the corner of 148th Avenue NE and NE 20th Street as a “green gateway.”

Protecting and enhancing the green and natural environment has long been a cornerstone of Redmond’s identity. Green building techniques can be used to reduce the impact of developments on energy use, air quality and stormwater runoff. Low-impact development techniques, such as tree retention and compost-amended soils, reduce the quantity and improve the quality of stormwater runoff.

N-OV-18

Encourage the use of green building techniques and low-impact development methods, such as green roofs, bioswales, and rain gardens.

Rain garden

N-OV-19	Develop regional stormwater treatment facilities within Overlake to treat and detain stormwater. Integrate facilities with parks and open spaces where feasible. Offer incentives to encourage public and private partnerships to develop these facilities.
N-OV-20	Reduce the negative impact of Overlake stormwater runoff on the water quality of Lake Sammamish, Kelsey Creek, the Sammamish River, and other creeks in the neighborhood. Protect downstream properties, streambeds, and receiving waters from erosion and other adverse impacts from the quantity of runoff.

Tree retention and the planting of additional trees contribute to the image of Redmond as a green community and provide visual relief for residents, employees and visitors of the urban Overlake Neighborhood.

 

N-OV-21

Strive to retain significant concentrations of trees in such areas as wooded ravines, steep slopes along wooded slopes and terraces, and trees located along highways and streets that have the potential to buffer or screen transportation facilities, and commercial and employment areas from residential uses.

The Overlake Neighborhood offers opportunities for panoramic views of the Puget Sound region’s mountains. Residents cherish the ability to view the Cascade mountain range from the northern portion of the neighborhood and from publicly accessible vantage points, such as Westside Neighborhood Park and SR 520 overpasses.

N-OV-21.1

Preserve the public views of the Cascade mountain range from public vantage points. Design structures and landscaping on public spaces, such as parks or transportation corridors, to maintain or enhance public views. Public vantage points within the single-family portion of the Overlake Neighborhood include:

♦    NE 51st Street overpass of SR 520;

♦    NE 57th Street;

♦    Westside and Cascade View Neighborhood Parks.

Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and the Arts

Portions of Overlake developed with minimal parks, open space, or recreation opportunities. Creating a cohesive system of parks, plazas, gathering places, recreational spaces, and connecting paths and trails will help meet the recreational and open space needs of current and future Overlake residents, employees, and visitors.

 

N-OV-22	Promote the vision of the plazas, open spaces, parks, trails and pathways, and art in Overlake as being part of a cohesive system of public spaces that is integral to distinguishing Overlake as an urban “people place.” Develop and maintain a variety of linkages, such as paths and wayfinding elements, among plazas, parks and open spaces in Overlake and in nearby neighborhoods that are within walking distance of each other.
N-OV-23	Recognize the urban park and open space system in Overlake Village as the neighborhood’s highest-priority park and recreation need. Achieve the park and open space system through a strategy of City investment together with encouraging future development to include plazas, artwork, and other recreation opportunities that augment and enhance public park infrastructure.
N-OV-24	Identify and create public places in Overlake that:

♦    Offer activities and uses that attract people;

♦    Include details, such as good seating and bike racks;

♦    Are easy to see and to access, and are safe and welcoming;

♦    Foster interactions among visitors; and

♦    Have a sense of permanence.

 

N-OV-25

Encourage the creation and placement of public art, including sculptures, water features, and other elements throughout the Overlake Neighborhood.

Several parks and open spaces have been developed in the Residential Area and northern Employment Area of Overlake, including Cascade View Neighborhood Park, Westside Neighborhood Park, the Redmond West Wetlands Park, and the Bridle Trails Open Space. The Bridle Crest Trail, an equestrian trail, runs through the northern portion of Overlake connecting Bridle Trails State Park with Marymoor Park.

Cascade View Park

N-OV-26	Retain and enhance existing parks in Overlake and add new parks, open spaces, and recreational areas in Overlake Village to make it more inviting.
N-OV-27	Maintain and protect existing equestrian and multi-use trails within the neighborhood. Consider the outer portion of stream buffers as places for potential soft surface interpretive trails.
N-OV-27.1	Consider establishing public trail connections at:

♦    159th Avenue NE to NE 44th Court;

♦    162nd Avenue NE to 162nd Avenue NE, crossing the stream where feasible;

♦    166th Court NE to NE 50th Way;

♦    159th Place NE to the Bridle Crest Trail;

♦    159th Avenue NE to NE 40th Street, along the sewer easement;

♦    NE 51st Street at West Lake Sammamish Parkway to Marymoor Park.

N-OV-27.2	Promote awareness of the mature cedar tree within Westside Neighborhood Park as a neighborhood landmark or heritage tree. Consider techniques that promote awareness of this tree as a neighborhood asset.
N-OV-27.3	Coordinate with vicinity residents when considering lighting for neighborhood parks to minimize light trespass and visual impacts.

Transportation

A variety of mobility choices that significantly increase access to, from, and within Overlake are needed in the neighborhood. While there will be continued need for vehicle travel, future investments will also enable more safe and attractive opportunities for walking, using transit, or bicycling between residences, stores, work, and amenities.

 

N-OV-28

Increase mobility within Overlake and provide for convenient transit, pedestrian, and bicycle routes to and from Overlake by:

♦    Encouraging commuter traffic to use regional facilities, such as SR 520;

♦    Encouraging use of transit, carpools, bicycles, and other forms of transportation that decrease congestion and parking demand through the Commute Trip Reduction or other programs;

♦    Enhancing multi-modal connections within the Overlake Neighborhood and between the neighborhood and nearby areas, including Downtown Redmond; and

♦    Providing bicycle facilities, such as bicycle racks, in new developments, bike lanes on key streets, and signage at key points.

 

N-OV-29

Strive to achieve, by 2030, a nonsingle-occupancy vehicle (transit, bicycling, walking, car/vanpooling, telecommuting or other “virtual” commute) mode split of 40 percent for peak-period trips in Overlake through such means as providing a pedestrian- and transit-supportive environment, developing supportive land uses, working with regional transit agencies to provide expanded transit options, including high-capacity transit/light rail and bus rapid transit, enhancing transportation demand management strategies, and implementing a parking management plan.

Overlake’s designation as an Urban Center qualifies it as a candidate for a Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center (GTEC) designation. The GTEC concept is part of Washington’s Commute Trip Reduction program and enables areas to receive additional funding and assistance in creating programs to encourage use of alternatives to single-occupant vehicle use and reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled. Such programs benefit the community by supporting improved transportation efficiency, economic development, energy conservation, air quality, and livability.

N-OV-30

Establish Overlake as a Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center to promote the use of alternative transportation modes in Overlake and the surrounding neighborhoods in Redmond and Bellevue.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Environment

In addition to providing pedestrian and bicycle connections within Overlake, and between the neighborhood and nearby areas, these facilities must also appear attractive and safe to encourage residents, employees, and visitors to walk or bike.

 

N-OV-31	Ensure that improvements, including streets, sidewalks, transit facilities, lighting, landscaping, and parking lots/structures, provide a pedestrian-supportive environment as outlined in the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and contribute to Overlake’s aesthetic appeal.
N-OV-32	Encourage pedestrian activity within Overlake, including informal gatherings, through public and private investment in improvements along the streetscape, such as:

♦    Street furniture, such as benches and kiosks, that provide a unifying element;

♦    Parks, plazas, and other “people places”;

♦    Visual features, such as fountains, squares, and sculptures; and

♦    Signage and markers to assist with wayfinding.

N-OV-32.05	Recognize the completion of NE 51st Street as a complete street with sidewalks, bicycle lanes, transit amenities, and landscaping as a priority project on behalf of the neighborhood Citizen Advisory Committee.
N-OV-32.1	Design sidewalks on the south side of NE 51st Street, from 156th Avenue NE to West Lake Sammamish Parkway, to minimize impacts on mature, site-appropriate, and healthy vegetation while providing needed neighborhood connectivity.
N-OV-33	Consider grade separation where persistent conflicts between nonmotorized modes and vehicles create safety concerns.

Within Overlake, a number of multi-modal corridors require innovative investments to improve the pedestrian and bicycle environments. Along these corridors, multi-use pathways provide an efficient means of meeting pedestrian and bike standards.

N-OV-34

Develop multi-use pathways that accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists adjacent to multi-modal corridors as an efficient and cost-effective means of meeting pedestrian and bike standards.

Multi-use pathway

Transit

A full range of transit service includes local, regional and regional express bus routes, a bus rapid transit line, and future high-capacity transit/light rail. Transit stations and shelters can help to facilitate the use of these services.

N-OV-35

Work with regional transit agencies to provide a full range of transit service to and within Overlake. Provide transit stations, shelters, and other amenities that support these services in locations that conveniently serve the neighborhood and support the vision for Overlake.

Overlake, together with the Downtown and SE Redmond, are the portions of Redmond long identified in the Comprehensive Plan as preferred locations for high-capacity transit/light rail stations. The character and function of these future stations will vary to reflect land use and transportation goals specific to these areas. It is important for Comprehensive Plan policies for these neighborhoods to articulate community preferences concerning the general character of the station and surrounding area.

 

N-OV-36

Repealed by Ord. 2575.

Light rail

N-OV-37

Locate two high-capacity transit/light rail stations within the Overlake Neighborhood. Locate a station in Overlake Village alongside SR 520 between 151st and 152nd Avenues NE. Create a dynamic and high-quality urban place through consideration of design, land use density and mix, community facilities, and public and private investments, which emphasizes pedestrian activity and minimizes parking facilities. Locate a second station in the Employment Area adjoining the existing Overlake Transit Center at NE 40th Street. Create a high-quality place that fits seamlessly with the character of the Employment Area, facilitates transfers between transportation modes, and encourages additional uses to be developed on the Overlake Transit Center site that are supportive of transit stations, such as housing and convenience retail or service uses.

N-OV-38

Support and encourage the provision of transit and shuttle services that enable nearby residents to access high-capacity transit/light rail service without driving to the transit centers. Work closely with Sound Transit and other agencies to develop the SE Redmond transit center to intercept regional trips attracted to light rail service.

Roadways

Due to its role in the regional economy, Overlake attracts both regional and local activity. Directing regional through traffic to regional facilities protects residential neighborhoods. Identifying standards for streets that serve regional, local, or a combination of these types of traffic directs improvements to better meet the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, residents, employees, and visitors.

 

N-OV-39	Recognize the importance of SR 520 as a regional facility and work closely with WSDOT and other jurisdictions to ensure it functions efficiently.
N-OV-40	Direct regional and through motor vehicle traffic away from residential neighborhoods through street improvements, such as traffic-calming measures that provide access to homes, while discouraging travel through the neighborhood. Locate driveways and streets in such a way as to minimize through traffic on primarily residential streets and reduce other adverse impacts on residential neighborhoods.
N-OV-41	Develop and maintain street cross sections for arterial and key local streets in Overlake to guide public investments and private development. Define standards related to sidewalks, on-street parking, vehicle lanes, and planting strips, setback zones, and other important elements.

Traffic on nearby regional and local transportation facilities creates noise impacts for residents of Overlake’s single-family neighborhoods. Residents seek the City’s continued collaboration with regional and state agencies on use of techniques to help reduce traffic noise.

N-OV-41.1

Encourage use of street treatments, such as vegetation, to buffer and absorb traffic noise near residential developments. For vegetation-based treatments, include appropriately selected and sited trees in street-side planter strips.

Parking

Providing parking options that do not conflict or adversely affect the pedestrian environment allows for Overlake to remain an active, vibrant area. The policies below describe how parking management can be used to enhance the neighborhood.

N-OV-42

Create and implement a parking development and management program for Overlake that:

♦    Minimizes on-site surface parking;

♦    Encourages shared, clustered parking to reduce the total number of stalls needed for residents and visitors, and to increase the economic and aesthetic potential of the area;

♦    Creates incentives that encourage structured parking; and

♦    Maximizes on-street parking, particularly for use by those shopping or visiting Overlake.

N-OV-43	Consider reducing parking requirements for developments near transit stations. Consider eliminating minimum parking standards as regional and local transit service in the neighborhood improves, as high-capacity transit/light rail is provided to the neighborhood, or as parking demand data indicates it is appropriate.
N-OV-44	Support and encourage methods of recognizing the true cost of parking, including:

♦    Separating commercial space and parking costs in tenant leases;

♦    Encouraging employers to identify the cost of employee on-site parking through fees or incentives related to the price; and

♦    Providing on-street parking with time limits and fees that is supported with adequate monitoring.

N-OV-45

Monitor the need for a residential parking permit program should parking needs associated with retail commercial and office uses adversely impact residential neighborhoods.

Public Facilities and Services

Adequate public facilities and services, including human services and civic outlets, are necessary to support continued growth in Overlake. Developing a center containing a combination of civic uses, such as a police substation or teen center, could add to the vibrancy of the area, support local residents and employees, and attract additional visitors.

 

N-OV-46	Create and implement facility plans for Overlake to provide adequate utilities, transportation, and other infrastructure to accommodate anticipated growth. Carry out a capital improvement strategy to implement these improvements, as well as pedestrian improvements, bikeways, beautification projects, parks, trails, and civic facilities in Overlake. Use the Overlake Master Plan and Implementation Strategy to guide public and private investments so that new projects fit the community’s vision and accomplish public as well as private objectives.
N-OV-47	Maintain and periodically update a priority list of public facilities and services needs, including transportation improvements.
N-OV-48	Encourage public and private partnerships to meet public facilities and service needs, such as transportation, stormwater, parks, open space, pedestrian corridors, and other improvements. Encourage public and private partnerships to meet human services needs as well.
N-OV-49	Monitor the need for the development of civic facilities, such as a community center. Work with future residents and employees of the area to identify needed services. Consider moving the Overlake Transit Center police substation to Overlake Village as part of a larger civic facility.

D. Overlake Subarea Policies

The Comprehensive Plan recognizes Overlake as a single neighborhood that contains a number of subareas. These subareas will continue to develop as distinctly different places within the neighborhood, characterized by different land uses, building heights and designs, and amenities. Map N-OV-1 shows these subareas.

Overlake Village

As described above, Overlake Village is envisioned to become an urban, mixed-use neighborhood that functions as the core of the Overlake Neighborhood. As a mixed-use area, it is intended to provide for significant residential growth, while remaining part of a larger, vibrant commercial area that is a destination for many.

N-OV-50	Encourage redevelopment of Overlake Village in order to enhance the attractiveness and functionality of this area as a place to live, work, shop and recreate. Establish requirements for new developments to incorporate housing to support land use, environmental and transportation goals for Overlake.
N-OV-51	Encourage new transit-oriented development in order to take advantage of local and regional transit opportunities.

Village at Overlake Station, transit-oriented development

N-OV-52	Develop incentives to encourage the construction of housing and variety in housing style, size and cost.
N-OV-53	Promote Overlake Village as a location for a variety of businesses, including retail, office, services, and entertainment uses that are compatible with a mixed-use urban environment. Encourage a variety of economic activities, ranging from daily goods and services to boutiques and other specialty stores, as well as restaurants, residences, and offices that promote Overlake as an appealing place to live, work and shop and provide for active uses during the day and evening hours.
N-OV-54	Actively support economic development measures that retain and promote existing businesses and attract new businesses compatible with the scale and vision of Overlake Village. Recognize the unique nature of small and independently owned businesses and the importance of diverse ethnic businesses by placing a special emphasis on encouraging these businesses through flexible standards, incentives, or other innovative measures.
N-OV-55	Maintain Overlake Village’s economic health, vitality, and diversity of businesses. Periodically monitor the economic condition and economic trends affecting this area.
N-OV-56	Allow those uses that are compatible with a mixed-use urban environment and that promote Overlake Village as an appealing place to live, work, and shop. Periodically review the allowed uses to ensure that the code is updated to provide for new or emerging uses.

The Overlake community identified 152nd Avenue NE as a desired future linear neighborhood core for Overlake Village. The policy below builds on community preferences for character and provides direction for future improvements to the right-of-way, as well as further development of adjoining properties.

N-OV-57

Encourage development and invest, when possible, in conjunction with other public agencies, in improvements on 152nd Avenue NE that:

♦    Create a linear neighborhood core with a main street character that attracts significant numbers of people to multiple activities;

♦    Include within the mix of uses at street level restaurants, retail, cultural or entertainment uses, personal service uses and similar businesses that are pedestrian-oriented;

♦    Include residential or office uses in upper floors;

♦    Maintain a pedestrian-friendly scale along the street by requiring buildings taller than six stories to step-back upper stories;

♦    Promote the use of transit through the effective placement of transit facilities and routes; and

♦    Achieve the goals of the multi-modal corridor designation.

 

A sketch of 152nd Avenue NE in the future

A portion of Overlake Village, the existing Group Health site, is zoned as the Overlake Design District due to various unique features, such as its central location between the Employment Area and Overlake Village, history as a location for a large institutional use, large size, slope and large quantity of trees.

 

N-OV-58	Encourage master planning of the Group Health site to foster opportunities to live, shop, work and recreate in a vibrant, mixed-use setting. Integrate the goals of creating compact transit-supportive development, employing environmentally sustainable development practices, and preserving stands of healthy trees where feasible.
N-OV-59	Recognize the public benefit that can be derived from the site’s proximity to the Overlake Village Transit Center, the planned bus rapid transit line, and the proposed Sound Transit high-capacity transit/light rail station by encouraging walkable, transit-supportive development through incentives tied to building height and allowable floor area.
N-OV-60	Encourage inclusion of a full-service hotel/conference center in plans for redevelopment within the Design District to help serve the needs of visitors to the area and provide entertainment and gathering opportunities for people who work or live nearby.

Overlake Village has its own unique character within the Overlake Neighborhood. This character reflects not only nearby high-tech businesses, but also the many international businesses that have located here. The policies below are designed to ensure that new developments in Overlake Village reflect the vision of the area as an urban, mixed-use neighborhood that provides a comfortable pedestrian and residential environment and yet is unique to the area.

 

N-OV-61	Establish an image unique to Overlake Village related to its concentration of diverse ethnic and nearby high-tech businesses or other themes and display this identity through building design and streetscape improvements.
N-OV-62	Allow building heights up to five stories for mixed-use developments throughout Overlake Village. Consider allowing additional height and/or floor area as an incentive for provision of features that implement neighborhood goals for public amenities, housing and environmental sustainability. Encourage taller buildings to be designed so as to avoid creating a “canyon effect” and to provide transit-supportive densities.
N-OV-63	Orient buildings to the streets and include design features that encourage walking and biking to the area, and between stores and shopping centers. Locate parking beside, behind or underneath buildings. Include street trees and landscaping to provide green space between buildings and the street. Encourage this type of building and site design in development regulations, including parking requirements.

Plazas, parks and open spaces provide relaxing, recreational, and community gathering opportunities to residents, employees, and visitors. The policies below are intended to guide the development of a functional urban park system within Overlake Village that is connected to parks, open spaces and trails in nearby areas.

N-OV-64	Establish a park plan specific to Overlake Village in recognition of the neighborhood’s urban character. Include criteria related to size, function and desired location of plazas, open spaces, parks, and other public places.
N-OV-65	Size and design plazas and open spaces to meet the needs of those who live, work and shop in the area. Include among the facilities a place to gather, rest, eat and engage in active recreational activities that do not require large amounts of space. Provide trees and places for shade and relief.
N-OV-66	Integrate parks and open spaces with regional stormwater facilities where feasible. Connect any regional stormwater facilities with the park system in Overlake Village.
N-OV-67	Encourage new development to incorporate recreational areas and open space for use by residents, employees, and visitors.
N-OV-68	Recognize sidewalks with landscaped planting strips and street trees as part of Overlake Village’s park-like amenities.

As the urban core of the Overlake Neighborhood, Overlake Village has unique transportation needs related to pedestrian corridors, the local street grid, regional transit, and parking. The policies below address these issues.

 

N-OV-69	Design and construct pedestrian corridors to enhance pedestrian safety and pedestrian use of the area. Connect businesses within the retail area with each other and with transit. Include street furniture, such as benches, on pedestrian corridors on public rights-of-way or public property to make them functional and inviting.
N-OV-70	Improve local street access and circulation by expanding the street grid in Overlake Village as redevelopment occurs.
N-OV-71	Prepare a station area plan for a high-capacity transit/light rail station area once a high-capacity transit/light rail alignment is selected by the Sound Transit Board of Directors to guide updates to policies and implementation measures and to preserve opportunities for transit-oriented development. Create a dynamic and high-quality urban place through consideration of design, land use density and mix, community facilities, and public and private investments, and which emphasizes pedestrian activity and minimizes parking facilities.

Employment Area

The Employment Area is intended to remain a home to major corporations and high technology research and development businesses as well as compatible manufacturing uses, while maintaining a campus-like environment. Smaller developments within this area are intended to provide for employees’ basic shopping needs and services and to provide opportunities for employees to live near work.

 

N-OV-72	Encourage development that maintains the Employment Area as a moderate-intensity district for research and development, advanced technology, compatible manufacturing, and corporate headquarters. Encourage residential development that provides employees with opportunities to live close to work.
N-OV-73	Encourage higher-intensity employment development within walking distance of 156th Avenue NE north of NE 31st Street and south of NE 40th Street and encourage lower-intensity development near Bel-Red Road.
N-OV-74	Permit small-scale convenience commercial and convenience service uses that primarily serve employees and nearby residents in the Overlake Business and Advanced Technology district, such as convenience grocery stores, restaurants and delis, dry cleaners, banks, post offices, recreational facilities, health clubs, day care facilities, and similar commercial and service uses that meet employees’ daily needs.
N-OV-75	Provide sidewalks and bicycle access linking employment uses and nearby residential neighborhoods to convenience commercial and service uses.

The campus-like environment of the Employment Area can best be achieved by continuing the development of mid-rise buildings with attractive landscaping and the protection of natural features. The policies below direct development to continue with this character.

 

Overlake campus environment

N-OV-76	Allow buildings up to five to six stories in height. Integrate building and site design with other buildings in the same complex and with nearby developments.
N-OV-77	Encourage street trees, trees on site, landscaping, open space, and recreational areas to provide a sense of openness for the site and the neighborhood.
N-OV-78	Encourage linkages between employment campuses and other parts of the neighborhood for walking, biking, transit use, and other nonsingle-occupancy transportation modes through building and site design.

Private open spaces within the Employment Area provide outlets for employees during working hours and also have been publicly programmed during summer months. The need for public programming and provision of public parks and open space will grow as more people work and live in the area. The Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PRO) Plan of 2004 identified the opportunity for two special use parks within the Employment Area. The policies below direct how to continue and strengthen the recreation, outdoor, and cultural opportunities provided here.

 

N-OV-79	Develop the parks identified in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PRO) Plan within the Employment Area.
N-OV-80	Encourage continued public programming of large private open spaces as part of the Art in the Parks summer series.

Residential Area

The northeastern portion of the neighborhood includes a collection of single-family and multi-family neighborhoods. Each of these neighborhoods is within a convenient walk of the Employment Area and is in high demand. These policies promote variety in the type and price of new infill residential developments to enable families of different ages, sizes, and incomes to live in the area.

 

N-OV-81

Allow attached dwelling units in the Residential Area on lots that meet the requirements for this type of development.

Maintaining the traditional residential character of these areas is an important community objective. The policies below provide direction on how new developments can help to preserve this established character.

N-OV-82	Allow a mix of housing types and a range of choices while maintaining the overall single-family character of established developments within Overlake.
N-OV-83	Require a minimum of 80 percent of the total dwelling units within the single-family portion of the Residential Area to be detached single-family dwellings to maintain this area’s primarily single-family detached character.
N-OV-84	Design buildings and sites in areas designated Multi-Family Urban to have a residential character. Encourage balconies overlooking streets and courtyards.
N-OV-85	Design attached dwelling units to portray the appearance of single-family houses and to be compatible with the character of nearby single-family homes.
N-OV-85.1	Provide a density bonus in the multi-family portion of the Residential Area for attached dwelling units that are affordable to households earning 80 percent or less than the King County median income.

Cottages and backyard homes can provide increased housing variety within the single-family portion of the Residential Area while maintaining the neighborhood character. These housing types can also help support sustainable development because they involve smaller structures on smaller lots. Cottage housing also requires greater establishment of common open space thereby further enhancing the neighborhood’s vegetated, green character.

N-OV-86	Allow cottages in the single-family portion of the Residential Area on lots that meet the requirements related to this type of development.
N-OV-87	Allow backyard homes in the single-family portion of the Residential Area on lots that meet the requirements related to this type of development.

Overlake’s Residential Area includes a variety of nonmotorized connections: sidewalks, public trails, and paths. Residents support the creation of additional connections to provide enhanced opportunities to walk or bicycle while commuting, recreating or getting together with neighbors.

N-OV-88

Create nonmotorized connections, where feasible, as part of new residential development to support alternative commute modes and provide connections to bus routes, major parks, and between developments.

In the Residential Area, while opportunities to acquire additional public land for green space are limited, existing places in the neighborhood may provide opportunities for additional plantings, supplementing dedicated open spaces.

N-OV-89	Seek opportunities to create recreational open spaces where citizens can walk, rest, or view natural features by landscaping places, such as utility easements, right-of-way, and unimproved portions of parks, where appropriate.
N-OV-90	Promote greater preservation, restoration, and continued maintenance of vegetation and green space:

♦    Continue to support public trail stewardship as a partnership program between the City and neighborhood; and

♦    Consider programs, such as public-private partnerships, that encourage establishing increased vegetation and landscaping through common open space and increase the inventory of publicly owned properties, such as parks and dedicated easements.

 

N-OV-91

Encourage a variety of tree specimens for use as street trees along significant corridors in the Residential Area, including 156th and 159th Avenues NE and NE 51st Street, to establish and maintain a vegetated neighborhood character and to provide tree canopy.

Neighborhood entryways can help calm traffic and highlight transitions between the Employment Area and single-family neighborhoods for motorists traveling in the neighborhood. Through collaborative efforts with the City, residents can help identify, establish, and maintain these signature places throughout the neighborhood.

N-OV-92

Emphasize transitions from the Employment Area to the single-family portions of Overlake through entryway treatments, such as landscaped medians similar to those located at NE 51st Street and 156th Avenue NE. Work in collaboration with residents to find opportunities to create and maintain neighborhood entryways that incorporate landscaping and other natural features where right-of-way is sufficient or upon appropriately located public land.

Ord. 2575; Ord. 2539(AM); Ord. 2492