Bellevue Meetings for the week of June 23rd
Tuesday, June 24th
City Council meeting, 6 pm (link)
Consent Calendar
- Interagency agreement between Bellevue and WADNR for wildfire and other emergency responses - Claims and payroll for May, $46M
- Threshold for City Manager to handle damage claims without council involvement is increasing from $75k to $350k.
- Interlocal Agreement with Redmond for joint training and fire recruit academies. This clarifies the coordination that started in 2012 with the East Metro Training Group (EMTG).
- Resolution for $1.4M of professional services to support the Grand Connection Crossing between 110th and Eastrail. HTNB has been selected to guide the city in the use of GC/CM public works contracting, where the Construction Manager provides input on constructability during the design phase and then may negotiate to be the General Contractor for the project (or it will go out for bids). HTNB would provide Project Manager and Owner Advisor services. WSP USA has already done a 30% design. Estimated total cost is $150-200M.
- Interlocal agreement with Kirkland and Redmond for a joint homelessness outreach data system using Bonterra Apricot software, with annual cost under $6k
King County State of the Court and Bellevue Community Court update We have an interlocal agreement with KCDC for municipal court services. KCLS is providing the physical space to launch a weekly community court for misdemeanors, with a resource center (similar to those in Auburn, Redmond, and Shoreline/Kenmore). Community court increases collaboration between the criminal justice system and other systems, including mental health, substance use disorder, other human services, housing, employment, and education.
Middle Housing (link and link)The council will vote on two drafts on Tuesday; one is the Land Use Code (LUC) amendment that has been in the works for months, and the other covers portions of the Bellevue City Code (BCC) that are not included in the LUCA draft. This includes transportation (access requirements, updates to concurrency and transportation impact provisions), clearing and grading (revising buffer requirements for sites located near critical areas to provide additional design flexibility for infill projects), and tree preservation.
Previous comments about the LUCA are in https://new-bellevue.ghost.io/bellevue-meetings-for-the-week-of-june-7th/ and https://newbellevue.com/?p=422
In the BCC draft, I was surprised by the definition of Commercial Use (applies to duplexes and up). Page 5 has the concept of a single family dwelling attached to one or more middle housing units, in the context of deferred payment of impact fees. Three year period for the removal of 25% or more of the live crown of a tree and requirement for a qualified opinion that the tree will still be viable. Page 7 reduces the restriction on clearing and grading from 200 feet to 20 feet of a critical area or critical area buffer. Page 12 "tree health" loophole may eliminate/reduce need for replanting when a significant or landmark trees beyond the annual allowance are removed (some removal of landmark and significant trees is allowed each year without replanting, as long as 2-8 trees with a minimum 6" DBH remain on the parcel (link)) Page 12: Maximum gradient of artificial slopes is being increased from 2:1 to 2.5:1, beyond which a geotechnical analysis is required.
Wednesday, June 25th
Bellevue Essentials Info Session 6:30-7 pm at South Bellevue Community Center (Eventbrite)
Planning Commission, 6:30 pm (link) Economic Development Plan, Environmental Stewardship Plan, and Critical Areas Ordinance
Thursday, June 26th
BSD Public Hearing at 3:45 pm regarding an increase in the General Fund appropriation for 2024-2025.
BSD Board Meeting 4:30-5:30 pm (link) Consent calendar includes travel, salaries, surplus equipment, a list of teachers outside of their Endorsement Area (specialty), but this is mostly due to a technicality involving dual certification in elementary education and a language for the dual, bilingual, or immersion programs.
Attendance - definition of truancy, data on those chronically absent, and relation to ELA and Math SBA proficiency. 346 students and families went through the truancy process last year. 143 students were at Rise (a Hybrid Alternative Learning Experience). Successful strategies for increasing engagement at various schools were featured.
Maximum 2024-2025 expenditures from the General Fund to be increased by $7.3M. Enrollment was higher than staffing originally but did not meet budgeted anticipation, and there were high Special Ed costs. Ending fund balance estimated at -$5.9M. We are likely to ask OSPI to count 2025-2026 receivables to balance the budget extension and this will mean binding conditions. There is also a ppt with a Spending Reduction Plan and legislative update.
A sustainability report is attached for reference, but is not on the agenda for discussion
From last week:
There was a City Council meeting on June 17th (link) that included a written Parks and Community Services Board update, awarding a bid for city street preservation, agreement for continuation of AM broadcasting from within Mercer Slough, appointing Hamilton and Bhargava as primary and secondary representatives to the Cascade Water Alliance directors, labor agreement with firefighters, Ethics Code training, and the Wilburton Vision Implementation LUCA (including fee-in-lieu vesting and sidewalk requirements and naming the new land use designations in the Noise Control Code and Sign Code)
A Parks and Community Services Board meeting was scheduled but canceled due to lack of quorum.
Upcoming:
7/9 Quarterly BDC meeting
7/9 Planning Commission: Neighborhood Area Planning, Downtown Regional Center CPA
7/10 Environmental Services Commission CIP Projects tour
7/10 Transportation Commission: MIP, TFP, Shared Micromobility, Curb Pricing
7/23 Planning Commission: Critical Areas Ordinance, Neighborhood Area Planning
7/31 BSD School Board Meeting (retreat on the 29th)
9/10 Planning Commission: HOMA and Planning Commission roles & responsibilities
9/11 Transportation Commission MIP Update, Environmental Sustainability Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan report, Curb Pricing
9/18 NEP open house at NWAC for Northwest Bellevue
10/8 Quarterly BDC meeting
10/8 Planning Commission, Neighborhood Area Planning – Eastgate & Factoria, Affordable Housing Strategy Update
Fun and educational events:
6/24 Crossroads Farmers Market, noon-6 pm (link)
6/25 Lego Brick Builders 1:30-2:30 pm, Bellevue Library (link)
6/26 Bellevue Farmers Market north of Downtown, 3-7:30 pm (link)
6/28 Summer reading launch party at Lake Hills Library, noon-5 pm (link)
7/4 Bellevue Family Fourth at Downtown Park - music starts at 5 pm (link)
7/9 Live at Lunch Concert and food trucks 12-1 pm, Skyline Tower (link) continues on most W/Th/F at various locations in Downtown Bellevue
7/9 How to Get Rid of Anything 6-7 pm, virtual
7/15 Sustainable Stitching 6-7:30 pm, Bellevue Library Makerspace
7/22 Pop! Phase Out Plastic 6-7 pm, virtual
7/25 Rethink, Reuse, Refresh: Safer Cleaners 12-1 pm, Bellevue Botanical Garden
7/25-7/27 Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend (link)
7/30 Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult 3-4:30 pm, Bellevue Library (link)
Opportunities:
Transportation Commission opening: Apply online by Friday, July 11th
Jubilee in the Community Accepting applications through June 30th from homeowner occupants such as seniors in need who would like help with spring/fall cleanup, minor or major yard projects, bark and gravel spreading, power blowing, fence and gate repair, shed, deck, and siding repair, power washing or handyman work. https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/community-development/neighborhoods/building-community/jubilee-community
Bellevue Essentials applications are being taken now for the class of 2025, through July 23rd. This is a ten week course that's an introduction to Bellevue city government and is a great way to get started if you'd like to be involved or volunteer. One more info session left on June 25th. https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/community-development/neighborhoods/classes-and-events/bellevue-essentials
https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/transportation/planning/micromobility There's a form where you can provide input about your thoughts on e-scooters.
https://www.engagingbellevue.com/2025-rsa Road Safety Assessment questionnaire and interactive map Two High Injury Network segments are being evaluated this year.
Study area 1: 156th Ave NE and an adjacent segment of Bel-Red Rd.
Study area 2: Downtown, on Main St, 100th, 1st, 2nd, Bellevue Way, and 108th
https://www.engagingbellevue.com/economic-development-plan-update Recruiting focus group related to Tourism, Small Business, the Creative Economy, District Development, Multicultural Services, and the Eastgate neighborhood.
Posted on NewBellevue.com:
Single-level cottages (link)
Is the Model Ordinance our best bet? (link)
Petition regarding Tuesday's decision on co-living, with map of affected areas (link)