I live in downtown Redmond in the midst of a building boom. For two and a half years, my neighbors and I have dealt with daily noise from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week from the two five-story apartment buildings being constructed on our street. We are also treated to 6 a.m. garbage pick ups on the next block because our house backs up to businesses. These same businesses have maintenance crews with leaf blowers two mornings a week at 7 a.m. The 200-unit apartment complex next door rolls garbage and recycling bins onto the street in front of our complex twice a week. And Mayor John Marchione wants to complain about a few hours of loud music (from some Marymoor Park concerts)?

Let me tell you what it’s like living next to a construction zone. First, they dug the underground parking lot and drove in support pylons. This went on for about two weeks and every day our windows rattled and our foundations shook and vibrated.

There were endless delivery trucks, which often parked in front of our town houses with the motors idling. Add to that the hordes of construction crews who stood around smoking and dropping cigarette butts on the street and in my garden. Paint and other stuff was spilled in front of our townhomes; lunch garbage was thrown on the sidewalk and the street. Our entire neighborhood was treated as part of the construction zone.

During this time, it was impossible to enjoy any outdoor time or open our windows due to the noise and daily intrusion. There were days on end that we wold hear almost continuous backup beeps from the heavy equipment being used, and I am certain that it violated noise restrictions.

I can only speculate the mayor is concerned about noise now as he is up for re-election this fall, and because the noise affects him personally and because the press got involved with this issue.

Good luck on your campaign — you lost my vote two years ago.

Sharon Benton

Redmond