Appeals Delay Redmond STEM School Construction

Construction of a new 66,000-square-foot science-focused high school in Redmond is on hold as two resident appeals work their way through King County's permitting process.

The appeals (attached to this post), were filed last December in King County's Department of Development and Environmental Services by Redmond residents Susan Wilkins, Marianne Spencer, Albert Spencer and Robert Donati. Both appeals center on the impacts the school would have on the surrounding neighborhood, which is zoned rural residential. 

The seven-acre building site is located on property next to  that has been owned by the since 1989. Both resident appeals ask the county to revoke the conditional use permit it awarded the district following a  last spring. 

Despite the appeals, the district still aims to open the new school by this fall, in order to coincide with the grade-configuration switch to four-year high schools. An appeal hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 27 at the Department of Development and Environmental Services, 900 Oakesdale Ave. SW in Renton.

Meanwhile, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has awarded the district a $400,000 grant to help the district develop the school's curriculum, professional staff development and the design and construction of several science labs. The new school will focus on the instruction of science, technology, engineering and math—also known as STEM subjects.

“We are grateful for this funding, which will help with our curriculum and instruction design work as well as doing professional learning for all staff," STEM school Principal Cindy Duenas said in a LWSD news release. “It will allow us to do the research and learning as a team to make sure our plan works not only in our school but in science education across our district.”

Click here to see an archive of Patch stories on the STEM school project.