Residents Appeal Redmond Bike Park Plan

A group of Redmond residents is appealing a proposed bicycle park in Hartman Park, claiming it is too big for the site, neighbors weren’t properly informed, and the boundaries of a nearby wetland weren’t properly outlined to adequately protect it.

The residents filed two appeals Wednesday--one against the city’s site plan entitlement for the Redmond Bike Park, and the other against the city’s determination that the new use wouldn’t have a significant environmental impact.

(Click to read about the city's perspective on the park plans, and for earlier coverage of residents' objections.)

Among the complaints of the 34 signers (nine are considered “parties of record” and 25 are supporters) are that the planned removal of trees and the heavier use in the park will increase noise in the Education Hill neighborhood and lower property values.

“The proximity to private homes, the lack of efficient traffic support, the anticipated parking problems, and the inability to easily patrol and monitor activities in the Park will result in a significant nuisance to the residential neighborhood, driving hazards, a lack of parking in (front) of private homes, and a safety issue due to a high volume of non-local, transient visitors,” they wrote in a statement of appeal.

“Additionally, the lack of convenient restrooms will result in public urination, most likely closest to the adjacent residential properties. Finally, the protected wetlands area to the east of the proposed Park is larger than designated in the plans, and not protected enough by the proposed buffer to meet the guidelines set forth by the Redmond Municipal Code.”

The park opponents want the city to complete a wildlife habitat assessment and a wetlands assessment and then re-evaluate the project.

They suggest two options: moving the park somewhere away from private homes with support for traffic, parking, security and restrooms; or keeping the park where it’s planned but scaling it down to the size of the existing illegally built jump trails and limiting publicity.

The appeals will be heard by a hearing examiner, according to Carolyn Hope, a senior park planner for the city. It’s likely the hearing won’t be held until August because of the examiner’s schedule and the requirement to provide public notice, she said.

The hearing examiner’s decision on the environmental challenge could be appealed to King County Superior Court, according to city attorney Jim Haney. A site plan decision could be appealed to the City Council, which would then examine the existing record.