City Council Study Session | October 13, 2026

The City of Redmond City Council held a study session on October 13, 2026, covering the 2027 legislative agenda, fire impact fees, a proposed Development Services department, regional board appointments, and council updates. For the legislative agenda, council members requested revisions including explicit condominium reform and youth crisis response language, references to housing programs such as the Housing Trust Fund and CHIP, and wording on renter fees. Staff will incorporate the agreed changes and return the agenda for consent adoption on November 2. The draft agenda also supports continued funding for the Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC) capital project, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and state grant programs; no related spending vote occurred. The council also discussed the proposed department’s staffing and budget, including eight new positions, and a change-management consultant solicitation whose selection was still under review. Council requested further information and scheduled a special meeting for the following week before making a decision. The MOC was cited as an approximately $250 million project, alongside a planned teen center investment.

On the fire impact fee update, staff presented a methodology based on roughly $131 million in existing and planned fire facilities, apparatus, and equipment. Consultant-calculated rates could generate about $37.3 million through 2050; the staff recommendation would generate about $33.5 million, including a proposed reduction for assisted-living and nursing-care facilities to approximately $3,000 per bed. Council discussed development costs and requested phase-in scenarios, including a four-year option, and comparisons with other development impact fees. Staff will bring alternatives to the next Committee of the Whole; no fee schedule was adopted. Other procurement-related discussion included a request for quarterly development activity reporting and proposed budget consideration of a tenant-protection position and an ELAP pilot, both still under discussion.