Updates to Redmond park fees, comprehensive plan passed | Council report

A number of park ordinances, updates and regulations were passed at Tuesday’s Redmond City Council meeting, including an update to the city’s park fees.

The park impact fees, which are levied on developers as a one-time fee after the construction of a new building, were increased across all six categories, including residential, multi-family, residential suites, offices, retail and industrial.

Notable increases include single-family residential homes, which would see a 24 percent increase for a roughly $4,600 total per house increase, and multi-family apartments would be charged around $3,200 per unit.

Office developments will be charged a 4 percent increase, retail will see a 5 percent increase along with industrial developments and residential suites, which are single-occupant apartments, will see a 19 percent increase.

The fees will go toward funding the roughly $50 million budget for park acquisition, design, construction, risk management and remodeling through 2030.

The city currently owns 46 parks encompassing more than 1,350 acres on top of more than 36 miles of trails and four community centers.

The increases come as part of a restructuring of how the city calculates the fees, which calculates how many new people are anticipated to live in or work in the city and the estimated number of hours of use, among other factors.

The city’s parks, arts and culture, recreation and conservation plan (PARCC) was also updated. The plan provides a guideline for policies through 2030 and is required to be regularly updated.

Updates that were approved on Tuesday include revising the estimated levels of service for parks, trails and recreation based on current estimates of population growth, updating inventories, creating a new classification for urban parks, trail corridors and community center properties and updating the capital plan, among other items.

An artistic services agreement for 2017 artist in residence Maja Petric was also approved for the amount of $32,500.

Petric’s term will run from June 30 of this year to June 30 of 2018.

The artist in residence program is meant to integrate the arts through the Parks and Recreation department and to move the city toward a creative culture where residents have access to artists and artwork at city events and facilities, according to the agenda memo.

The contract also includes creating three light-based art installations, setting up a studio with open studio hours for the public and offering a workshop series to provide access to digital arts.

Petric has been working with light and digital technology and holds a Ph.D. in digital arts and experimental media from the University of Washington as well as a master’s degree in interactive telecommunications and journalism.

A public art plan was also approved that is aimed to promote creativity at public buildings, streets, landmarks, parks and open spaces and other spaces, the city’s agenda said.

It also is designed to promote a walkable culture in the city, engage the community through art and entice commuters to stay in the city after work hours to engage in activities.

“I feel like is a good representation of the community,” council member Angela Birney said of the parks and arts updates and proposals.

Other members of the council also took time Tuesday to thank staff for their work drafting the various ordinances.

Finally, a grant contract was signed from King County to replace turf at Perrigo park for $50,000. The fund was awarded from the county from a one-time excess fund from the bonding capacity of the old stadium tax in the county.

The grant will go toward the total cost of the project, which is estimated at $2.56 million.