Update: Group Health to Pay City $20,000 for Tree Planting

Group Health will pay the City of Redmond $20,000 to transplant or install new trees as part of a settlement agreement between the two parties and Sustainable Redmond.

As Redmond Patch , the three parties came to an agreement in May to settle a land-use petition filed by Sustainable Redmond and two other neighborhood groups concerning the planned removal of more than 1,000 trees from the 28-acre development site.

Specific provisions of the agreement are contained in the settlement document, which was approved on June 15 and obtained by Redmond Patch on Tuesday (see attached PDF copy under photo.)

The settlement stipulates that Group Health will pay the city the $20,000 "upon the first closing of a sale of all or any portion of the Group Health property." The funds will be used "to transplant trees from the Group Health property or install native evergreens ranging from 6 to 12 feet," according to the document.

As city Planning Director Rob Odle , the specific number of trees to be transplanted will be determined at a later date and based on how many are healthy enough to survive off site.

The settlement requires the city to replant or install trees in the Overlake Village neighborhood, "or, if none (is) available, to other locations in the City."

The three parties also agreed to "avoid making negative public statements regarding the settlement." 

A PDF copy of the agreement is attached to this post. to read an earlier story about the settlement.