# General plan documents — bellevue-washington Assembled by OpenPublica from the documents it serves for this government. Each section below is a separate publication by the government; page anchors (``) refer to pages of that section's own source PDF, linked in its heading. **Contains 5 documents.** OpenPublica has pinned these slots for this government: area_plan_belred, area_plan_bridle_trails, area_plan_crossroads_neighborhood, area_plan_crossroads_subarea, area_plan_downtown, area_plan_eastgate, area_plan_factoria, area_plan_newcastle, area_plan_newport, area_plan_northeast_bellevue, area_plan_northwest_bellevue, area_plan_richards_valley, area_plan_southeast_bellevue, area_plan_southwest_bellevue, area_plan_volume_2_introduction, area_plan_wilburton_ne_8th_street, capital_facilities, circulation, community_engagement, conservation, economic_development, general_plan_introduction, housing, human_services, land_use, neighborhoods, open_space, shoreline_master_program, urban_design, utilities. That is what we have looked for, not a statement that the government publishes nothing else — a plan element absent here may simply not have been reviewed yet. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. --- ## Land Use — Bellevue 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Element (LU) - Source: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2024/cdd-23-673-cp-land-use_0.pdf - Pages: 19 - Covers: land_use <
> # Land Use ## VISION **Growth of residents and businesses in Bellevue enhances the livability of the city.** Growth in Bellevue, when implemented strategically, maintains the city's outstanding natural environment. Business growth is focused in denser mixed-use areas like Downtown, BelRed and the Wilburton Commercial Area, with additional growth around transit in Crossroads, Eastgate and Factoria. Bellevue supports many types of healthy and vital neighborhoods that serve the needs of the diverse population. ### LAND USE SCOPE The Land Use element is about how the city decides where to allow different activities and the buildings for those activities, such as housing, restaurants and retail, services, offices, manufacturing and other commercial or industrial uses. # INTRODUCTION The Land Use element addresses the general pattern of land use within the city and provides a framework to guide Bellevue’s overall physical growth and development. It ensures that the mix of land uses support the city’s vision for the future. Land use planning helps protect environmentally sensitive areas, enhances the environment for the future and ensures that the city can evolve to meet the changing needs of the community. # TODAY’S CONDITIONS AND TOMORROW’S PROJECTIONS ## Land Use Today and Tomorrow Bellevue is a major regional job center, with more people working in the city than living in it. Bellevue has been the state’s fifth largest city since 1970, when the population increased due to annexation, exceeding Everett. Between 1953 and 1990 growth occurred primarily through annexation, with the development of single-family subdivisions and community shopping areas. Bellevue is now bordered by Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, State and King County parkland, Newcastle, Issaquah, Redmond, Kirkland and the Points Communities, and has little additional land that can be annexed. Since 1990, the city has primarily grown through people choosing to move here from other places, especially from abroad. In the early 20th century, the natural environment within Bellevue was changed by the conversion of upland forest and wetland habitats into agricultural uses and urban development. Today, the city is home to urban forests, wetlands, lakes and more than 50 miles of free-running streams, some of which are salmon-bearing. Centrally located on the Eastside, Bellevue is connected to the region by three major freeways, light rail and bus rapid transit. The combination of geographic location, transportation access and a beautiful natural setting continue to be central assets of Bellevue. Recent population and employment growth has built on these assets. Growth has largely been focused in Downtown and BelRed, areas with many transportation options, investments in the parks system and environmental enhancements to support this growth. Even as the city has grown, the region as a whole has not produced enough housing to support the expanding population. The city’s vision of the future includes making room for additional housing while continuing to maintain the park-like setting that sets the city apart. The Puget Sound Regional Council projects the region will grow by more than 1.5 million people between 2020 and 2050 and that the economy will generate more than 1.1 million additional jobs between 2020 and 2050. Within this regional context, Bellevue established housing and job growth targets to do its part to manage that growth. Bellevue is planning for 35,000 housing units and 70,000 jobs by 2044, bringing the total housing units and jobs in 2044 to 98,200 housing units and 227,800 jobs. photo by Stanton J Stephens <
> ### Figure LU-1. Growth Targets | Year | Population | Housing Units | Jobs | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 2019 | 148,100 | 63,200 | 157,800 | | 2044 | 232,100 | 98,200 | 227,800 | | Growth | 84,000 | 35,000 | 70,000 | The housing unit and job targets for Bellevue are developed with guidance from the Washington State Growth Management Act county projections (developed by the Office of Financial Management) and with additional direction from Puget Sound Regional Council. The specific targets are determined through collaboration between Bellevue, King County and other cities in the county. The targets have been adopted as part of the 2021 King County Countywide Planning Policies. *** #### KING COUNTY URBAN GROWTH CAPACITY REPORT In 2021, King County completed a periodic update to the Countywide Planning Policies. These policies include housing unit and job targets for all cities in the county. The 2020 Urban Growth Capacity Report showed there was a limited supply of land available for development in Bellevue, and much of the vacant land remaining is constrained by environmentally sensitive areas, steep slopes and other factors that limit development potential. The report showed that the majority of Bellevue's capacity for growth is through redevelopment of previously developed lands. While the report showed there was enough capacity to accommodate the job target, more capacity was needed to accommodate the 35,000 housing units and to meet state requirements for affordable housing and middle housing. ### Challenges and Opportunities Bellevue seeks to meet the challenge of achieving the community's land use vision, accommodating future growth and preserving what community members love about Bellevue. Challenges and opportunities include: * **Coordinating Capital Investments with Growth.** Residents will continue to expect what Bellevue is known for: excellent services and great parks, schools and amenities. Without quality services and amenities, people would choose to live and work elsewhere, which could undermine Bellevue's growth strategy and impact the city's economic development. Funding the required infrastructure and amenities may be a challenge. * **Aging Commercial Areas.** In some older residential areas, neighborhood shopping centers are experiencing high vacancies and struggling to meet changing market conditions. In today's retail market, more shoppers are choosing regional destinations, larger stores and online offerings. The land use mix and urban form may need to be updated for smaller shopping centers to keep them healthy and attracting private investment. In some areas, it may be appropriate to support a wider mix of uses to help fill gaps where there is less demand for traditional retail. * **Integration of Land Use and Transportation.** Integrated land use and transportation planning is about choice. Integrating housing and employment with a range of transportation options makes it easier to get around. Having shopping and recreation nearby encourages walking and biking, reduces congestion on the streets and supports vibrant and healthy communities. Higher densities and a mix of uses encourage walking and transit use. Understanding future land uses also helps the city design and build transportation facilities that continue to work as the city grows. # LAND USE POLICY SUMMARY ## Land Use Strategy Bellevue's land use policies support a strategy for managing growth and development in a manner that is consistent with the regional strategy, and supports the city's vision of the future. The growth strategy for Bellevue: * Directs most of the city's growth to the City's Mixed Use Centers (Downtown, BelRed, Wilburton/East Main, Crossroads, Factoria and Eastgate). These areas are served by a full range of transportation options, major commercial centers and the focus of future residential growth. * Supports the health and vitality of residential areas by planning for Neighborhood Centers: neighborhood-serving commercial and mixed use areas. * Allows for a wider range of housing types across the city to support people in many different households at all stages of life. ## Growth Management Bellevue works to meet the requirements under the state Growth Management Act. Bellevue's leadership as the major center for jobs, commerce, transportation and the arts on the Eastside ensures coordinated and consistent planning in the region. ## Residential Areas Bellevue's distinct residential areas developed over many decades and range from higher density areas with apartments and condominiums to middle-density and low-density equestrian lots in the northern part of the city. The city works to ensure that residential areas have adequate pedestrian and bicycle paths to allow people to move around them safely. The city plans for compatible uses and scale transitions between residential areas and other types of areas in the city. ## Neighborhood Centers Neighborhood Centers are commercial and mixed use development located in areas that are otherwise primarily residential, such as Northtowne Shopping Center and surrounding area, Lake Hills Village and surrounding area and Newport Hills Shopping Center and surrounding area. These centers provide goods and services to local residents and serve as important focal points and gathering spaces for the community. Neighborhood Centers range from commercial centers anchored by a grocery store, library or other major community asset, to collections of a ### Figure LU-2. Growth by Neighborhood (2019-2044) | Neighborhood | Jobs | Housing Units | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Neighborhoods with Mixed Use Centers | 66,300 | 32,600 | | BelRed | 14,200 | 7,900 | | Crossroads | 900 | 700 | | Downtown | 37,600 | 14,500 | | Eastgate & Factoria | 2,500 | 4,600 | | Wilburton | 11,100 | 4,900 | | All other Neighborhoods | 3,700 | 2,400 | | Total | 70,000 | 35,000 | <
> photo by Stanton J Stephens few small businesses. The goal of Neighborhood Centers is to meet some of the daily needs of those in close proximity. Larger centers, such as those anchored by grocery stores, may serve the needs of a wider community. Bellevue supports continued engagement and investment to maintain the health of these important centers and allows Neighborhood Centers to become mixed use with some higher density residential alongside the commercial uses. Future development in and around Neighborhood Centers will include planning for pedestrian and bicycle connections. As the city grows, neighborhood stakeholders may identify opportunities for new Neighborhood Centers. ### Mixed Use Centers Mixed Use Centers are centers of economic and social activity anchored by major transportation hubs. Downtown Bellevue is the regional growth center of the Eastside, home to regional shopping destinations, office buildings and is one of the city’s largest residential neighborhoods. BelRed is anchored by two light rail stations. It continues to see the expansion of medical uses, and the introduction of more retail shops, office buildings and residential developments. Wilburton is also anchored by a light rail station and is poised to change significantly due to its strategic location between Downtown and BelRed and its proximity to transportation options. The Crossroads Mixed Use Center is home to substantial residential development and is expected to continue to see residential and commercial growth. Factoria is a notable employment center. Its proximity to a future light rail stop makes it an attractive location for commercial and residential development. Eastgate is anchored by the Eastgate Park and Ride, which may also become a light rail station, and Bellevue College. It is surrounded by significant commercial and mixed-use development as it is at the crossroads of major transportation routes into and through Bellevue. At the heart of Mixed Use Centers are Countywide Centers (see Map LU-3), areas designated by King County in the Countywide Planning Policies. These areas have been identified as centers of future investment in transportation. In most cases, each center is entirely within one of the 16 Neighborhood Areas. The policies of the Mixed Use Centers also apply to Countywide Centers as they overlap. ## Land Use Compatibility One of the roles of land use planning is to ensure that neighboring uses are compatible with one another. Bellevue does this by encouraging master planned new developments to consider adjacent properties and the local environment in their development plans. Bellevue allows existing uses to continue until the property is redeveloped, and encourages the preservation of light industrial in some parts of the city. ## Transit-oriented Development Transit-oriented development policies are intended for the immediate areas around light rail and bus rapid transit stations. These areas are compact, walkable places with many retail, restaurant and other commercial uses on the ground floor, adjacent to the sidewalk. Residential and office uses tend to be on upper floors of buildings in these areas. The area supports a wide variety of transportation options. ## Citywide Policies Across the city, Bellevue supports the continued development of the distinct flavor and identity of the different neighborhoods and works to support arts and cultural opportunities. The preservation of open space is a central activity, and the development of parks and restoration of environmental features in areas with lower access to parks and open space is a priority. The City promotes community-building uses and features such as childcare, walking and biking access, and community-serving amenities, services and facilities throughout the city. ## Annexation Bellevue has annexed almost all adjacent unincorporated land within the Urban Growth Boundary. There is a small part of unincorporated King County that is assigned to Bellevue as a Potential Annexation Area. The city’s policies ensure a predictable process when the time comes for annexation. <
> Figure LU-3. Housing Growth by Geographic Area 2019-2044 <
> Figure LU-4. Job Growth by Geographic Area 2019-2044 <
> # Map LU-1. Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and Map Key The Future Land Use Map shows the vision for future development in Bellevue. It is available as a static PDF at BellevueWA.gov/comprehensive-plan and dynamically online through GIS software. See separate Future Land Use Map # Future Land Use Map Key ## MIXED USE **Downtown** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at the highest scale and density (see illustration). The scale and density may be reduced by overlay districts. <
> Highest scale and density **Urban Core** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at the highest scale and density (see illustration), close to Downtown and light rail stations. **Highrise Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at a high scale and density (see illustration). <
> High scale and density **Midrise Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at a middle scale and density (see illustration). **Lowrise 2 Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at the higher end of a low scale and density (see illustration). **Lowrise 1 Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide an area for a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses at the lower end of a low scale and density (see illustration). <
> Middle scale and density **Highrise Office Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide a mix of office, housing, retail, service and complementary uses with a focus on office uses at **high scale and density** (see illustration). **Midrise Office Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide a mix of housing, retail, service, office and complementary uses with a focus on office uses at **middle scale and density** (see illustration). **Lowrise Office Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide a mix of office, housing, retail, service and complementary uses with a focus on office uses at **low scale and density** (see illustration). **Highrise Medical Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide a mix of laboratories, office, housing, retail, service, and complementary uses with a focus on medical uses at **high scale and density** (see illustration). **Midrise Medical Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide a mix of laboratories, office, housing, retail, service and complementary uses with a focus on medical uses at a **middle scale and density** (see illustration). **Highrise Residential Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide primarily housing with a mix of retail, service, office and uses that compliment with a focus on housing at a **high scale and density** (see illustration). **Midrise Residential Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide primarily housing with a mix of retail, service, office and uses that compliment with a focus on housing at **middle scale and density** (see illustration). <
> Low scale and density <
> Middle urban residential scale and density <
> Lower urban residential scale and density **Lowrise Residential Mixed Use** The purpose is to provide primarily housing with a mix of retail, service, office and complimentary uses with a focus on housing at **low scale and density** (see illustration). # RESIDENTIAL **High Density Residential** The purpose is to provide for residential and complementary uses at a **low scale and density** (see illustration), similar to lowrise mixed use. **Medium Density Residential** The purpose is to provide for residential and complementary uses at a **middle urban residential scale and density** (see illustration). **Low Density Residential** The purpose is to provide for residential and complementary uses at a **lower urban residential scale and density** (see illustration). **Suburban Residential** The purpose is to provide for residential and complementary uses at a **typical suburban scale and density** (see illustration). **Large Lot Residential** The purpose is to provide for residential and complementary uses on large lots at a **spacious scale and density** (see illustration). # OTHER USES **General Commercial** The purpose of this district is to provide primarily office, retail and service uses. **Light Industrial** The purpose is to provide light industrial uses. <
> **Typical suburban scale and density** <
> **Spacious scale and density** **Institutional** The purpose of this district is to provide for institutional uses like colleges. **Hospital Institutions** The purpose is to provide Hospital uses and building styles. # Map LU-2. Neighborhood Centers Neighborhood Centers are commercial or mixed use areas in places that are otherwise primarily residential. They serve some of the daily needs of people living in the area. <
> # Map LU-3. Regional Growth Center and Candidate Countywide Centers Regional Growth Centers are designated by PSRC and Countywide Centers are designated by King County. Both are focus areas for future transportation investments. <
> | | | | :--- | :--- | | ![Regional Growth Center legend icon](https://via.placeholder.com/15/8598c7/8598c7?text=+) Regional Growth Center | | | ![Countywide Centers legend icon](https://via.placeholder.com/15/c67f7f/c67f7f?text=+) Countywide Centers | | | ![City Limits legend icon](https://via.placeholder.com/15/ffffff/000000?text=+) City Limits | | **Data Source: City of Bellevue** Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. City of Bellevue Comprehensive Plan 2044 ■ Land Use ■ Page LU-13 # Map LU-4. Potential Annexation Areas The Potential Annexation Area is the unincorporated area inside the Urban Growth Boundary designated by King County in the Countywide Planning Policies to be annexed by Bellevue in the future. <
> City of Bellevue Comprehensive Plan 2044 ■ Land Use ■ Page LU-14 # GOAL & POLICIES ## Goal To develop and maintain a land use pattern that protects natural systems and retains trees and open space; maintains and strengthens the vitality, quality and character of Bellevue’s neighborhoods; and focuses development activity in Downtown and other Mixed Use and Neighborhood centers. ## Policies ### Land Use Strategy **LU-1.** Focus the city’s growth and development as follows: 1. Direct most of the city’s growth to the Downtown Regional Growth Center, other Countywide Centers (see Map LU-3) and to other areas designated for compact, mixed use development served by a full range of transportation options. 2. Plan for housing growth with a broad range of housing choices to meet the changing needs of the community. 3. Enhance the health and vitality of existing single-family, multi-family and mixed use residential neighborhoods. 4. Provide for commercial uses and development that serve community needs. **LU-2.** Retain the city’s park-like character through the acquisition, preservation and enhancement of parks, open space and tree canopy throughout the city. **LU-3.** Prioritize the redevelopment of under-developed land over vacant land, open space and environmentally sensitive areas. **LU-4.** Promote a land use pattern integrated with a multimodal transportation system. **LU-5.** Maintain a critical mass of light industrial land in the Richards Valley area and other appropriate areas to serve local needs. ### Growth Management **LU-6.** Support a land use vision that is consistent with the GMA goals, the regional Vision 2050, and the King County Countywide Planning Policies. **LU-7.** Accommodate adopted growth targets of 35,000 additional housing units and 70,000 additional jobs for the 2019-2044 period and plan for the additional growth anticipated by 2044. **LU-8.** Encourage new residential development to achieve a substantial portion of the maximum density allowed on the net buildable acreage. **LU-9.** Evaluate household and employment forecasts on a periodic basis to ensure that land use policies based on previous assumptions are current. LU-10. Work toward a land use pattern that makes it possible for people to live closer to where they work regardless of household income. LU-11. Support school districts’ efforts to identify and plan for future school facility siting that meets community needs. ## Residential Areas LU-12. Invest in programs and facilities that maintain the stability and improve the vitality of neighborhoods. LU-13. Apply contextually appropriate design techniques and development regulations to transition between low density and high density areas, particularly in residential areas. LU-14. Assess the compatibility of commercial uses and other more intense uses when located in mixed use and predominantly residential areas. LU-15. Provide for safe, accessible pedestrian connections from residential areas to nearby neighborhood services and transit in all residential site development. ## Neighborhood Centers LU-16. Enhance existing Neighborhood Centers (see Map LU-2) designed to serve neighborhoods, recognizing their multiple roles: serving residents' needs, acting as community gathering places and helping to establish neighborhood identity. > See also Neighborhoods policies related to neighborhood area planning, NH-17 to NH-19. LU-17. Establish new Neighborhood Centers through a process that utilizes inclusive outreach, identifies and seeks to fulfill gaps in locations providing neighborhood services, contributing to local economic vitality and encourages multimodal access to Neighborhood Centers across the city. LU-18. Encourage new retail and services alongside residential in Neighborhood Centers, ensuring easy pedestrian access and enhancing the livability of the neighborhood. ## Mixed Use Centers and Countywide Centers LU-19. Sustain Downtown’s designation as a Regional Growth Center, with the density, mix of uses and amenities and infrastructure that maintain it as the financial, retail, transportation and business hub of the Eastside. LU-20. Support development of compact, livable and walkable mixed use centers in BelRed, Eastgate, Factoria, Wilburton, East Main and Crossroads. LU-21. Monitor trends in Bellevue’s Mixed Use Centers and other job centers and amend policies and regulations as needed, to maintain the vitality of these centers. **LU-22.** Establish Countywide Centers (see Map LU-3) as focal points for local and county planning and investment to support a concentration of jobs, housing, shopping, transportation mobility options and recreational opportunities. **LU-23.** Plan for Countywide Centers as part of the Neighborhood Area Planning process, including an assessment of housing need and tools to provide affordable housing, an assessment of historic and cultural assets, an assessment of the risks for displacement of residents and businesses, and support for local access that promotes active transportation. ## Land Use Compatibility **LU-24.** Allow existing uses to continue in areas with a change in future land use until the parcel is redeveloped. **LU-25.** Encourage private developers of adjacent or nearby properties to execute agreements to provide joint use and funding of shared parking facilities. **LU-26.** Encourage the master planning of multi-building and multi-parcel developments and large institutions to integrate with its surroundings. **LU-27.** Locate new community facilities near major transit routes and in areas convenient to pedestrians and bicyclists. ## Transit Oriented Development **LU-28.** Provide for a mix of housing, office, service and retail uses in a compact walkable development pattern that optimizes the benefits of transit investment in Bellevue’s mixed use areas. > See also Transportation > policies related to transit, > TR-61 to TR-93. **LU-29.** Provide walking and bicycle routes in and to light rail and bus rapid transit station areas that are accessible, safe and convenient, and that connect to destinations, transit and surrounding bicycle and pedestrian networks. **LU-30.** Ensure that transit-oriented land use and development is responsive to the type of transit facilities and services provided and the context of surrounding area. **LU-31.** Consider the following criteria, at a minimum, when evaluating land use changes near high-capacity transit stations: 1. Transit may support more intense development around some stations; 2. Transit supportive design and orientation may be implemented without changes to land use intensity; and 3. Land use plan map changes would be precluded in environmentally sensitive areas **LU-32.** Encourage reducing parking requirements in areas with good access to transit and active transportation facilities and prioritize parking options to serve the community with special needs. Citywide Policies **LU-33.** Help communities to maintain a distinctive local character while recognizing that neighborhoods evolve over time to meet community needs. **LU-34.** Changes in zoning must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map, including changes in zoning within the same future land use designation. **LU-35.** Recognize the placemaking value of arts and cultural facilities and work to site them throughout the city as a means to enhance neighborhoods. **LU-36.** Employ land use incentive systems that offers additional development capacity or flexibility in exchange for commensurate public benefits that address identified needs of that area. **LU-37.** Strengthen and expand the City of Bellevue’s mechanisms to support cultural uses and amenities. **LU-38.** Encourage development of amenities, services and facilities, including utility corridors and facilities, waste management facilities, transportation facilities, recreation facilities and stormwater management facilities to support employment centers and all types of households throughout the city. **LU-39.** Preserve open space and key natural features through a variety of techniques, such as sensitive site planning, conservation easements, transferring density, land use incentives and open space taxation. **LU-40.** Provide equitable access to parks, safe pedestrian and bicycle routes and other public amenities for all neighborhoods, prioritizing improvements for those areas with fewer public amenities. **LU-41.** Provide opportunities for increased density and height to accommodate clustering, efficient site planning and significant preservation of trees and open space on parcels over 10 acres. **LU-42.** Support provision of child care equitably throughout the city: 1. Allow family child care homes in residences in all single family land use districts through a discretionary review process, unless otherwise required by state law or regulation. 2. Permit child care centers in all non-single family land use districts and allow child care centers as part of a community facility as long as the center has been identified as part of any discretionary review permit. 3. Consider measures to protect child care centers from air pollution exposure and encourage increased mitigation in such situations. 4. Encourage major employers and the developers of major employment facilities to provide child care opportunities on site or nearby. LU-43. Conserve, monitor, and protect groundwater resources, consistent with state law. LU-44. Promote measures to protect sensitive uses from risks of exposure to air and noise pollution by locating them away from pollution sources, where possible, or by use of feasible, effective building and site design measures to mitigate exposure. LU-45. Design new development and encourage the retrofit existing buildings to improve indoor air quality and reduce resident exposure to air pollution. LU-46. Consult with historically impacted low-income communities and communities of color as well as experts in the field of development to prevent, mitigate and remediate harmful environmental pollutants and hazards, including light, air, soil and structural hazards, where they have contributed to racially disparate environmental and health impacts, and to increase environmental resiliency in low-income communities. LU-47. Implement land use patterns that promote walking, bicycling, or other active transportation modes in order to increase public health. LU-48. Reduce and mitigate the risk to lives and property posed by wildfires by using land use planning tools, including the Wildland Urban Interface Code and protecting human development in wildfire prone areas. ### Annexation LU-49. Support the comprehensive annexation of the city's remaining Potential Annexation Area. LU-50. Require owners of land annexing to the city to be subject to their proportionate share of the city's bonded indebtedness. LU-51. Make every effort to ensure that land within Bellevue’s Potential Annexation Area develops according to Bellevue Comprehensive Plan policies and development standards. LU-52. After annexation, transfer all review authority for all land currently undergoing development review in King County to the City of Bellevue. *** See also Climate and Environment policies related to water resources, CL-34 to CL-43. See also Utilities policies related to annexation, UT-14 to UT-20. --- ## Circulation — Bellevue 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Element (TR) - Source: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2025/cdd-23-673-cp-transportation.pdf - Pages: 30 - Covers: circulation <
> # Transportation ## VISION **Moving into, around and through Bellevue is safe, reliable and predictable.** Bellevue is connected to the region, enabling local and regional access for businesses and neighborhoods. Safe and reliable mobility options, including active transportation (walking and biking), transit and car, give people options to get where they need to go. The city's transportation system integrates leading technology that promotes safety and efficiency. *** ### TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT SCOPE The Transportation element is about how people get around the city from walking and biking to cars, buses and light rail. # INTRODUCTION The Transportation element provides policy direction to guide programs, priorities, design and investments that support local and regional mobility. Mobility in Bellevue means providing people with an assortment of mobility infrastructure and service options that help people get where they need to go. Not only does the transportation system support this fundamental mobility function, it contributes to a quality of life that Bellevue residents expect and that attracts employers and businesses. The Comprehensive Plan integrates transportation planning and investments to support land use planning. It emphasizes that the transportation system supports the city’s land use vision and livability by providing options for people to get to the city as well as to travel within the city. The city maintains Downtown Bellevue as a regional Urban Growth Center and identifies mixed use areas in Wilburton, BelRed, Crossroads, Factoria and Eastgate as Countywide Centers. The Mobility Implementation Plan (MIP) describes a complete and connected transportation network that is designed to meet the future travel demand and to reflect or enhance the character of the community. Performance Targets in the MIP for each mode and priorities for mobility along right-of-way corridors, reflect the intensity and mix of land uses and the expectations for safety, access and livability. Mobility options consider and accommodate the needs of populations that may have mobility challenges, including persons with disabilities, the elderly, the young and low-income households. ## MOBILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (MIP) The MIP describes the city’s approach to multimodal concurrency. This plan provides Performance Metrics and Performance Targets for each mode, as well as Performance Management Areas and Priority Vehicle Corridors. A mobility strategy is designed to address more than one “mode” or method of transportation for people to get to, from and within Bellevue. The city’s multimodal mobility strategy incorporates policies for all mobility options, including walking, bicycling, riding transit and driving. <
> # TODAY’S CONDITIONS AND TOMORROW’S PROJECTIONS ## Transportation Today and Tomorrow As population and employment in Bellevue have grown, traffic volume on many of Bellevue’s arterial streets has held relatively steady. This intended outcome has been accomplished through a transportation strategy that emphasizes walking, bicycling and transit, coupled with growth focused in mixed use, transit-rich, walkable neighborhoods. More people are choosing to live closer to where they work and are using a variety of options to get around. Bellevue emphasizes active transportation and transit use as essential components of mobility in a livable city, while providing streets that operate efficiently. Transit service, including bus rapid transit and light rail, provides mobility options while supporting compact, mixed-use development near transit stations. Bellevue supports transit use by prioritizing capital investments and service enhancements on a frequent transit network described in the city’s Transit Master Plan. To ensure that getting around Bellevue on foot is easy and safe, and that bicycling facilities accommodate riders of all ages and abilities, Bellevue implements and maintains a network illustrated and described in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan. This plan includes policies, design standards and a comprehensive and prioritized project list. The Mobility Implementation Plan defines Performance Targets for each mode that describes the intended user experience and serves to identify and prioritize needed investments. ## Implementing the Mobility Vision Multimodal mobility in Bellevue implements a vision for a community where people can get around by the mode of their choice: walking, bicycling, riding transit or driving. Bellevue continually invests in infrastructure and technology to serve the evolving mobility needs of Bellevue residents, employees and visitors. <
> ### PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN The Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan articulates a shared vision for walking and bicycling in Bellevue. The plan identifies more than 400 projects that, when funded, would make biking and walking in Bellevue safer and easier. ### WHAT IS TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY? The Washington State Growth Management Act requires cities to ensure that transportation programs, projects and services needed to serve growth are regionally coordinated and are in place either when new development occurs or within six years. This is done to ensure the city provides a supply of transportation facility improvements for all modes that are needed to meet the demand from new development. ### Mobility Goals, Performance Metrics and Performance Targets To create a community where people can easily move about using a variety of travel modes, the city has established goals and policies in this Comprehensive Plan, and Performance Metrics and Performance Targets in the MIP. The city will continue to measure mobility for people traveling on foot, by bicycle, in a private vehicle and on transit, and will document progress toward building a complete and connected multimodal transportation network. ### Expanded Transit East Link light rail has six stations in Bellevue, plus the Overlake Village station in Redmond, that serve nearby neighborhoods and provide connections within Bellevue and to the region. Station area plans will ensure good local access and appropriate nearby land uses. As Bellevue gets to know East Link, the city will plan for future high capacity transit service connecting to regional destinations and will make decisions in support of local transit service to meet rapidly increasing demand. ### Mobility Options Transportation planning and investments will expand options for people to travel within neighborhoods, along corridors and to regional destinations. Transportation network investments will address vehicle congestion and will build projects for all modes that incorporate design for safety, accessibility, connectivity and neighborhood character. ### Maintaining What We Build A sidewalk is usable by everyone only when it is free from barriers like root heaves. Bicycle lanes provide dedicated space for bicycle riders only when they are free of debris. Roadways are best for cars, trucks and buses only when there are not potholes. Bellevue will continue to invest in preventative maintenance and responsive repairs to ensure the transportation system serves everyone. *** ### TRANSIT MASTER PLAN Transit Master Plan articulates a vision for "Abundant Access", which aims to "support planned growth and development with a bold transit vision that provides efficient, useful, attractive service for most people, to most destinations, most of the time, serving maximum ridership." The Transit Master Plan summarizes all aspects of the two-year planning process and contains policies that are the guiding framework for transit that is convenient, frequent, efficient, simple, direct and regionally connected. It presents route-level recommendations and details how the City can positively affect transit within Bellevue. ### TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES PLAN (TFP) Typically updated every two to three years, the TFP is a "financially constrained" plan meaning the identified cost of the projects in the TFP must be balanced with the city's transportation revenue projections for the 12-year plan period. Some projects listed in the TFP include funding allocations for initial development or partial implementation only. # TRANSPORTATION POLICY SUMMARY ## Transportation and Land Use Bellevue implements a multimodal transportation system that supports the city's land use. The city directs investments and services to Regional Centers (as identified by PSRC), Countywide Centers (as identified by King County) and Neighborhood Centers (as identified by Bellevue). Development in Bellevue supports the transportation system by including design features that reinforce the multimodal transportation system. ## Transportation Demand Management Through implementation of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies, the city helps people make choices that can reduce the number of driving trips they take alone and the miles they travel in a private vehicle (single-occupant vehicle (SOV) trips). TDM tools help manage growth in congestion, reduce spending on roadway capacity and parking, lessen environmental and neighborhood impacts of transportation, and meet drive-alone rate mode share targets. TDM policies include three components, used most effectively in combination: * **Influencing mode choice.** Regulations for new development address site design features that reduce auto dependency. Regulations for large employers focus on worksite actions, consistent with the Commute Trip Reduction Act. * **Marketing.** Efforts to inform people about mobility options and promote changes in mode choice toward non-SOV options. * **Improving services and facilities.** Bellevue's investments in pedestrian and bicycle facilities promote the use of those modes, while partnerships with others in the region can extend regional trail connections, expand the high-occupancy vehicle lane system and improve transit service. Carpools, vanpools and employer shuttles are attractive and convenient options for many commuters and can work where public transit service is lacking or inconvenient. Sustaining a successful ridesharing program requires both the public and private sectors to participate. The public sector can build infrastructure to support walking, bicycling and ridesharing, while cooperation between public and private groups, employers and residents can create an environment conducive to non-SOV travel. Regional coordination enhances the effectiveness and equity of TDM actions. Bellevue coordinates with other Eastside jurisdictions and transit service providers in developing and implementing compatible TDM programs. ## Mobility Management and Technology Bellevue seeks to implement a multimodal transportation network that accommodates the mobility needs of everyone, with special attention to underserved populations. The city seeks to maximize the performance of all modes of transportation in accordance with the performance targets articulated in the MIP. The ## COMMUTE TRIP REDUCTION Under Washington’s Clean Air Act, Bellevue is required to have a Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) plan to improve air quality, reduce energy consumption and reduce traffic congestion. Under the city’s CTR program, employers with 100 full-time employees or more must establish their own CTR programs to encourage employees to use alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting. Examples of employer measures include organizing office carpools, offering subsidized transit passes and allowing employees to work part of the week from home. The city helps affected employers develop their CTR programs through information and training. city engages the community in the evaluation and modification of the MIP in concert with each update of the Comprehensive Plan. Transportation improvement projects are identified through an evaluation of the performance of all modes of transportation and engagement with the community through the TFP. ### Regional Transportation Coordination Streets, multipurpose trails and transit routes may cross jurisdictional lines and may be the responsibility of different agencies. Effective regional relationships are required to support regional mobility. Bellevue is an active partner with our municipal neighbors and with the federal, state and county governments and transit service providers that are responsible for the regional transportation facilities that serve the city. Within Bellevue, I-90, I-405 and SR-520 provide regional mobility and serve as the backbone of the bus transit system and freight network. The I-90 and SR 520 corridors accommodate east-west regional trails, while the Eastrail, parallel to I-405, provides an important north-south connection. Bellevue advocates for a highway system that keeps pace with population growth and economic activity by incorporating technology, demand management and infrastructure improvements. Key mobility principles include safety, interconnectivity, accessibility, speed and reliability. A resilient transportation system is achieved through design that is multimodal and redundant, together with maintenance that protects the community's investments. Coordinated disaster response plans on the regional and local level help ensure effective emergency response and mobility for business and personal needs. photo by Stanton J Stephens <
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> ## Streets The street system accommodates travel by private vehicles, transit and rideshare vehicles, freight trucks, active transportation such as bicycling and walking. Daily vehicle trips have plateaued or declined on many Bellevue arterials. In an era of growth, this suggests people are choosing other mobility options for some trips. Bellevue considers the movement, comfort and safety of people using all modes of travel. However, for the foreseeable future, private vehicles will account for the majority of daily trips within Bellevue, and the city will monitor vehicle congestion at System Intersections and the travel speed along designated Priority Vehicle Corridors. A street network that operates safely and efficiently for everyone is one element of a multimodal transportation system. In the MIP, Bellevue recognizes that arterial corridors provide multiple mobility functions with facility types and priorities that may vary between Performance Management Areas. ## COMPLETE STREETS Complete streets are arterial streets that provide context-appropriate facilities for people of all abilities to travel using their choice of mode, including vehicles, active transportation modes and transit, while promoting safe operation for all users. **Roadway Users and Modes.** Designed for people of all ages and abilities walking, bicycling and using public transit, and for those driving private vehicles, freight and delivery vehicles and emergency vehicles. **Projects and Phases.** Applies on the public right-of-way and easements for all project phases including scoping, planning, designing, implementing, operating and maintaining the transportation system. **Clear, Accountable Exceptions.** The conditions for granting exceptions are specific and require approval from the Transportation Director. **Network Connectivity.** Promotes a comprehensive, integrated and connected network for all modes. **Design.** Use a best practices approach and incorporate balance and flexibility to accommodate the needs of all roadway users. **Community Context.** Complement the context of the corridor and surrounding community. **Performance Measures.** Performance is measured against adopted Performance Targets in the MIP, and mode-specific plans, including the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan and the Transit Master Plan. Figure TR-1. Mode Used by Bellevue Residents to Commute to Work <
> Source: US Census Bureau, 2012-2016. American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Figure TR-2. Commute Trip Drive-Alone Mode Share Targets | Worker population | 2020 Existing | 2044 Target | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Citywide Residents | 47% | 40% | | Citywide Workers | 63% | 45% | | Downtown Workers | 66% (2014 Existing) | 30% | Source: 2020 Existing: U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. 2014 Existing: US Census Bureau. 2014 Census Transportation Planning Package based on 2012-2016 American Community Survey. 2044 Target: Rounded values, derived from the City of Bellevue travel demand model’s forecast for average daily commute trips by motorized modes, with adjustment to include nonmotorized and work from home modes (proportions for these modes were assumed to be the same as in existing surveys). <
> ### VISION ZERO STRATEGIC PLAN The purpose of the Vision Zero Strategic Plan is to coordinate existing efforts and new ideas, evaluate crash data, consider public concerns and identify strategies that will reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero by 2030. The plan provides a coordinated approach across city departments, ensuring that transportation engineers, first responders and other key staff work together. Bellevue City Council Resolution No. 9035 (December 7, 2015) endorsed Vision Zero, recognizing that death and serious injury on city streets is unacceptable and preventable. Policies related to Vision Zero support implementing context-appropriate traffic safety measures for all travel modes to protect the most vulnerable users. ### Transit Bellevue’s Transit Master Plan describes a transit system that serves residents, employees and businesses within the city and connects to the region, with a partnership between the city and the transit service providers. Up-to-date transit routes, schedules and trip-planning tools can be found at the King County Metro and Sound Transit web sites and mobile apps. Policies acknowledge the need to maintain and enhance transit facilities and service for Bellevue and to advocate for additional high-capacity transit service. Recommendations in the Transit Master Plan address the priorities for future transit service and the capital facilities that support those services. The Transit Master Plan calls for a transit system that provides abundant access, establishes a frequent transit network, implements speed and reliability enhancements and improves pedestrian and bicycle access to transit stops and stations. The MIP describes Performance Targets for transit that operates between activity centers and also focuses on active transportation access to and from bus stops and stations. Especially for commuter trips and increasingly throughout the day, high-capacity transit (HCT) is an important part of the transportation system. HCT in Bellevue may include light rail, express bus services and facilities or other transit technologies that operate within a fixed guideway, dedicated right-of-way or freeway/express facility. East Link light rail serves Bellevue with six stations in the city, plus the nearby Overlake Village Station in Redmond. A Sound Transit Long Range Plan provides for planning and designing transit system expansion to supplement projects that are operational or under construction. Bellevue participates with Sound Transit in planning for high-capacity transit to serve the city. Priorities include detailed system design, preservation of right-of-way, station access and station area planning. ### Active Transportation Pedestrian and bicycle facilities are vital components of Bellevue’s transportation system. An integrated, complete, connected and safe pedestrian and bicycle system provides convenient access to schools, work, transit and parks. Performance Targets for each mode are established in the MIP. By constructing and maintaining pedestrian and bicycle facilities, the city increases mobility options for everyone. This approach to pedestrian and bicycle transportation is consistent with the Puget Sound Regional Council’s vision for a region-wide non-motorized transportation system, as articulated in Transportation 2050, the adopted 30-year action plan for transportation in the central Puget Sound region. <
> State and Federal Highways and Corridors Bellevue works with state and federal governments to enhance freeway access to Bellevue, especially in major commercial centers of Downtown, Wilburton, BelRed, Eastgate and Factoria. The city advocates for improved freeway to freeway access and supports the completion of the Regional High Occupancy Vehicle system. Bellevue also works with state agencies to minimize impacts to areas abutting the freeways and coordinate signaling and traffic management at freeway interchanges. Bellevue supports the work of transit agencies in developing transit facilities on the freeways to accommodate anticipated growth and collaborates on facilities for active transportation access to those facilities. Freight Mobility The regional and local transportation system allows for the movement of goods as well as people. This function supports economic vitality and meets the needs of residents and businesses. Bellevue designs and manages the local transportation network to provide for the efficient movement of goods along specified corridors. Large-scale freight handling is primarily an off- street function and the curbside is increasingly used to accommodate small-scale parcel pick-up and delivery as described in the Curb Management Plan. Transportation Finance The Comprehensive Plan requires investments in all modes, with the objective of providing mobility options and meeting adopted Performance Targets. Funding for improvements is derived from multiple sources: businesses and residents (the city's general fund and local business taxes), pass- through users (gas and motor vehicle taxes), new development (impact fees) and outside resources including grants. Joint funding and partnerships are options for projects that involve Washington state, King County, transit service providers or adjacent jurisdictions. To ensure that funding and improvements keep pace with demand and meet long-term system requirements, the city has a TFP that identifies long-range needs and cost estimates. Detailed transportation revenues and expenditures are balanced every two years in the city's Capital Investment Program (CIP). At every update of the CIP, transportation facility cost estimates are completed and available revenues are reassessed. New transportation needs are prioritized based on the Transportation Facilities Plan, as well as emerging high-priority, short-term needs. Environmental Considerations Whether considering runoff from streets into streams, tailpipe emissions into the air or noise from tires and engines, the transportation network has the potential to affect the quality of the environment. Environmental policies include proactive efforts in Bellevue to reduce the adverse impacts of transportation. The Transportation element works in conjunction with the Climate and Environment element to reduce environmental impacts. Targets for emissions reductions and per capita vehicle miles traveled are documented in the Environmental Stewardship Plan. Residential Safety and Livability Two types of transportation network impacts are of special concern to neighborhood quality of life: * Noise and safety issues arising from cut- through traffic (traffic on a residential street that has neither an origin nor a destination within the neighborhood) and non-residential parking on residential streets. * Street and transit projects in and near residential areas that may affect neighborhood livability. Employing transportation system management tools and implementing a traffic safety program maintains mobility and minimizes traffic impacts on neighborhoods. Approaches may include appropriately scaled and designed street improvements, traffic safety measures and prioritized mobility modes along corridors that are compatible with neighborhood character and quality of life. # Map TR-1 Trip Density Forecast for 2044 Trip density is the number of daily person-trips per acre within a Performance Management Area. This is a forecast for 2044 to provide information on the timing, location and capacity needs of future growth. <
> **2044 Trip Density Forecast per PMA** * PMA 1 - 687 Trips/Acre * PMA 2 - 215 Trips/Acre * PMA 3 - 49 Trips/Acre * Urban Growth Area Boundary Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # Map TR-2. Arterial Functional Classifications – Existing and Planned Arterials This map shows the functional classifications of the arterial-street system in Bellevue. Refer to the Glossary for Functional Classification definitions. <
> | Arterial Classification | | | :--- | :--- | | — Major Arterial | | | ····· Minor Arterial | | | ····· Collector Arterial | | | — Freeway | | | $\square$ City Limits | | Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # Map TR-3. Transit Facilities The map shows existing transit centers, publicly-owned park and rides, bus bases, direct access ramps, and high occupancy vehicle lanes. Existing transit routes and schedules can be found at the King County Metro and Sound Transit web sites. Park-and-ride lots on leased property are not shown. <
> | Arterial Classification | | | :--- | :--- | | ————— | Major Arterial | | ………… | Minor Arterial | | ………… | Collector Arterial | | ——— | Freeway | | ——— | East Link | | [ ] | City Limits | | ///// | Urban Growth Area Boundary | Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology # Map TR-4. Frequent Transit Network This map shows the network of frequent transit service routes that would exist under the 2030 Growing Resources Scenario as described in the Bellevue 2014 Transit Master Plan. <
> | Priority Bus Corridors | | | :--- | :--- | | 1 | Issaquah Highlands - Bellevue - U.District | | 2 | Lynnwood - Bellevue | | 3 | Westwood Village - Renton - Bellevue | | 4 | Redmond - U.District | | 5 | Totem Lake - Kirkland - Bellevue | | 6 | Crossroads - Bellevue | | 7 | Redmond - Crossroads - Eastgate - Factoria | | 11 | Bellevue - Factoria - Renton | | 12 | Eastgate - Overlake Village - Kirkland | | 13 | Bellevue - Eastgate | | 14 | Kirkland - Bel-Red - Eastgate | | | **East Link Light Rail** | | | **City Limits** | Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # Map TR-5. Pedestrian Facilities This map shows existing sidewalks, multi-purpose paths and trails that comprise the existing pedestrian network in Bellevue. Please refer to the Bellevue Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan for projects that would add to existing facilities. <
> | | | | :--- | :--- | | — Multi-Use Path | | | — Other Pedestrian Facilities* | | | — Sidewalk | | | — Trails | | | — Grand Connection | | | ▢ City Limits | | | ▓ Urban Growth Area Boundary | | | *Other pedestrian facilities include pedestrian paths and shared shoulders. | | | Data Source: City of Bellevue | | | Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. | | # Map TR-6. Bicycle Facilities This map shows existing bicycle lanes, shared shoulders, wide lanes, shared lanes and multi-purpose paths that comprise the existing bike network in Bellevue. Please refer to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan for projects that would add to existing facilities. <
> *Bicycle lane and other bicycle facilities may be complete on only one side of the street. ** Other bicycle facilities include: bicycle shoulder or shared shoulder, wide outside lane, and sharrow. Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # Map TR-7. Highways of Statewide Significance This map shows highways of statewide significance designated by Washington State Department of Transportation. Included are the state level of service standards (D) for these facilities and average daily traffic volumes in 2013. <
> # Map TR-8. Truck Routes This map shows designated truck routes in Bellevue and their relationship to other arterials and freeways. Truck routes are established via City Ordinance 3692 as amended. <
> | | | | :--- | :--- | | **—** Truck Route | | | **▢** City Limits | | | **⌗** Urban Growth Area Boundary | | Data Source: City of Bellevue Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # GOALS & POLICIES ## Goals To scope, plan, design, implement, operate, maintain and enhance a comprehensive multimodal transportation system to serve all members of the community. To improve all mobility options so that everyone in Bellevue has a safe, comfortable, and efficient experience on their preferred mode, while encouraging and transitioning to more environmentally and fiscally sustainable modes. ## Policies ### Transportation and Land Use **TR-1.** Integrate land use and transportation planning and decisions to support the Comprehensive Plan. **TR-2.** Direct transportation investments and services to support the designated Urban Center and the Countywide Centers identified in the Countywide Planning Policies. **TR-3.** Incorporate transit-supportive and pedestrian-oriented design features in new development through development review. ### Transportation Demand Management **TR-4.** Establish targets to increase the proportion of commute trips by non-drive-alone mode. **TR-5.** Periodically evaluate progress toward mode share targets and adjust programs and activities as needed to achieve them. **TR-6.** Coordinate with other Eastside jurisdictions, the private sector, educational institutions and transit service providers to develop and implement uniform or compatible transportation demand management regulations and strategies that address factors such as the following: 1. Parking management; 2. Assistance to facilitate and increase the use of transit, carpooling, vanpooling, active transportation and flexible work schedules; 3. Other transportation demand management program elements, including marketing, outreach and incentives; and 4. Reporting, monitoring and performance evaluation standards. **TR-7.** Require large employers to implement a commute trip reduction program for employees, as mandated by the state Commute Trip Reduction law, and evaluate program effectiveness on a regular basis. **TR-8.** Encourage employers to reduce peak period commute trips by facilitating employees’ use of telework, flexible work hours, compressed work week schedules, and other scheduling options. **TR-9.** Maintain a comprehensive and effective transportation demand management program for city employees, to set an example for other employers. **TR-10.** Promote use of mobility options by requiring new development to incorporate design features such as: 1. Preferential parking for carpools and vanpools; 2. Special loading and unloading facilities for carpools and vanpools; 3. Transit passenger facilities, including comfortable and safe bus stops and waiting areas that may be integrated in the building design; and 4. Secure and covered bicycle parking, showers, lockers and related facilities to support bicycle commuters. **TR-11.** Require new developments that place significant impacts on the transportation system to implement transportation management programs to reduce drive-alone commute trips to the site. **TR-12.** Provide outreach and assistance to increase awareness and use of alternatives to driving alone for all types and purposes of trips. **TR-13.** Evaluate and facilitate car-sharing and micromobility-sharing programs. **TR-14.** Support federal and state tax policies that promote transit use and ridesharing. **TR-15.** Facilitate small employers and property managers in providing programs to reduce drive-alone commute trips by employees and building occupants through marketing, outreach and assistance activities. **TR-16.** Support the establishment and operation of transportation management associations as effective partners in advancing the goal and strategies of travel demand management. ### Mobility Management and Technology **TR-17.** Scope, plan, design, implement, operate and maintain a complete and multimodal transportation network in accordance with the Performance Metrics, Performance Targets and Performance Management Areas as established in the Mobility Implementation Plan. **TR-18.** Ensure that the transportation network infrastructure in Bellevue provides mobility options for all modes and accommodates the mobility needs of everyone, including underserved populations. **TR-19.** Coordinate improvements and operations among travel modes and provide facilities to support people who are making connections between modes. TR-20. Aggressively plan, manage and expand transportation investments to reduce congestion and expand mobility opportunities in a multimodal and comprehensive manner and improve the quality of the travel experience for all users. TR-21. Design and develop arterial improvements, including added vehicular capacity, transit facilities and non-motorized active transportation components, to serve citywide travel demand generated by the increases in density in the land use plans, in addition to citywide and regional travel demand. TR-22. Incorporate pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements into roadway projects to provide complete and connected active transportation networks. TR-23. Incorporate transit/high-occupancy vehicle facility improvements in accordance with the Transit Master Plan and the Mobility Implementation Plan. TR-24. Increase connectivity and system completeness for all transportation modes to create a Complete Streets arterial network. TR-25. Design, implement and maintain transportation system improvements and deliver transportation services and programs in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). TR-26. Employ a citywide multimodal level-of-service concurrency standard that provides a supply of transportation facilities that meets the demand from new development. TR-27. Monitor and document transportation system performance in accordance with the Mobility Implementation Plan. TR-28. Engage the community to evaluate and modify the Mobility Implementation Plan as needed, in concert with each periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan, or as warranted by changed circumstances. TR-29. Evaluate the performance of all modes and engage the community to identify projects, priorities, programs and resources to meet Complete Streets goals and the Mobility Implementation Plan Performance Targets through updates to the Transportation Facilities Plan. TR-30. Plan for and prioritize transportation system projects to support land use and to address Performance Target gaps in each update of the Transportation Facilities Plan. TR-31. Monitor and implement as appropriate, emerging technologies that are intended to improve mobility, safety, efficiency and people-moving capacity on existing and planned transportation network facilities. TR-32. Design, maintain, and protect the transportation network to be resilient to disaster and impacts related to climate change. TR-33. Design curb uses, curb typologies and modal priorities. TR-34. Consider implementation of a pay-for curb use program. TR-35. Identify and create regulated passenger loading zones for taxi and rideshare use, primarily within the Type 1 Performance Management Area as defined in the Mobility Implementation Plan. TR-36. Promote the use of innovative curb technology solutions that enhance safety and efficiency of the curbside environment. TR-37. Consider creating designated curbside zones to allow for vendor and food truck activity. TR-38. Consider creating activated curbside zones, such as on-street dining areas, parklets and other placemaking solutions. TR-39. Develop and implement a curb management plan that designates a curb typology, established a pay-for curb use program recommendation, facilitates dynamic curbside management and accounts for various movement, access, and placemaking functionalities. ## Regional Transportation Coordination TR-40. Work actively and cooperatively with other Eastside jurisdictions regional and state agencies and transit service providers to plan, design, fund and construct regional transportation projects that support the city's Comprehensive Plan. TR-41. Develop the transportation system in a manner that supports the regional land use and transportation vision adopted in VISION 2050, the 2022-2050 Regional Transportation Plan and the Countywide Planning policies for King County. TR-42. Utilize the Eastside Transportation Program Partnership as a forum for the planning, funding, and coordination of transportation system improvements that involve multiple jurisdictions. TR-43. Inform, consult with, and otherwise involve other affected jurisdictions in the city's transportation planning efforts. TR-44. Cooperate with other jurisdictions to resolve mutual land use and transportation concerns. TR-45. Provide an arterial system, and encourage the state to provide a freeway system, that together support local and regional mobility and land use plans. ## Streets TR-46. Employ intelligent transportation system technology and infrastructure to support the efficient movement of people and vehicles throughout the city. TR-47. Classify city streets according to their function, so that needed mobility capacity may be preserved, and planned street improvements will be consistent with those functions. TR-48. Provide sufficient arterial rights-of-way or obtain easements to provide space for street trees and landscaping, and to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle facilities, while considering the visual and functional continuity of the corridor. TR-49. Design arterials and streets to fit the intended character of the areas through which they pass. TR-50. Maintain and enhance safety for all users of the street network. TR-51. Ensure that maintenance of the existing transportation network facilities be given priority consideration. TR-52. Maintain a collision reduction program to identify high collision locations, evaluate and prioritize potential safety improvements and implement recommended changes. TR-53. Provide street lighting where needed and appropriate based on neighborhood context to improve visibility and safety while minimizing light/glare spillover. TR-54. Minimize the number of driveways along arterials to improve the pedestrian and bicycle environment and to reduce the potential for collisions. TR-55. Ensure that city street improvements do not create a bypass for regional traffic that would adversely affect residential neighborhoods. TR-56. Assess arterial speed limits and address concerns related to safety through appropriate speed limits, countermeasures and other techniques. TR-57. Allow for repurposing of travel lanes for other uses such as parking, transit or pedestrian and bicycle facilities where excess vehicular capacity exists at peak periods and/or to optimize person throughput along a corridor following a comprehensive technical analysis and exploration of other options. TR-58. Strive to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Bellevue streets by 2030 in accordance with the Vision Zero Strategic Plan. TR-59. Update Vision Zero Action Plans annually to systemically and holistically address safety challenges using the Safe System Approach. TR-60. Advance Vision Zero by implementing Safe Streets strategies that enable and encourage safe behaviors by design. ### Transit TR-61. Implement the Bellevue Transit Master Plan in collaboration with transit service providers and other partners to ensure that transit is an easy and attractive mobility option for those who live, work, visit, learn or do business in Bellevue. TR-62. Support planned growth and development with a bold transit vision that provides efficient, useful, attractive service for most people, to most destinations, most of the time, serving maximum ridership. TR-63. Work with transit providers to enhance a frequent transit network that provides connections within Bellevue, to the greater Eastside and to regional destinations. TR-64. Support a frequent transit network in Bellevue that serves mobility hubs and population and employment centers with reliable commuter and all-day service and seamless interface between transit routes, East Link and other modes. TR-65. Work with transit providers to create, maintain and enhance a system of transit-supportive facilities and amenities. TR-66. Coordinate with private developers and transit providers to integrate transit passenger information and facilities, pedestrian connections and weather protection and bicycle access and parking into new development and redevelopment. TR-67. Integrate safe pedestrian and bicycle access to transit in collaboration with transit service providers and private-sector developers. TR-68. Ensure that transit services and facilities in Bellevue and the Eastside are high priorities for regional system plans and improvements consistent with the Bellevue Transit Master Plan. TR-69. Work with transit providers to maintain and expand frequent and reliable transit service in Bellevue to support community needs, the city’s land use plans and mode share targets. TR-70. Implement infrastructure and technology to support reliable transit arrival time and travel speed along the Frequent Transit Network between Activity Centers. TR-71. Identify and preserve necessary right-of-way for transit facilities in collaboration with transit service providers. TR-72. Develop and maintain safe and convenient active transportation access to transit stops and stations, through shared responsibility with transit providers and private-sector developers. TR-73. Facilitate safe intermodal transfers and increased access to transit in mobility hubs through partnerships with public transit service providers and shuttle services. TR-74. Develop and implement, in conjunction with the transit providers, an integrated way-finding system to facilitate transit ridership that incorporates principles of universal design and uses multiple languages. TR-75. Collaborate with employer-based and other private transit service providers to ensure that these services are integrated into the transit service planning and curb management practices. TR-76. Create mobility hubs in alignment with King County Planning Policy guidance. TR-77. Work with transit providers to ensure that high capacity transit service supports Bellevue’s role as a Regional Growth Center with frequent, reliable transit service to population and employment centers within the city, and providing direct transit connections to Eastside cities and the region. TR-78. Collaborate with transit service providers to expand high capacity transit to advance the city’s long-term transportation and land use objectives, minimize environmental and residential impacts and optimizes regional system ridership and performance. TR-79. Provide ample opportunity for meaningful, comprehensive, cooperative community involvement, coordinated with the transit providers to help shape the ultimate configuration and operation of any high capacity transit system. TR-80. Ensure that light rail adds new travel capacity within its own right-of-way, rather than replacing existing travel lane capacity, in order to maximize speed and reliability for light rail while minimizing impacts to other modes. TR-81. Support plans by transit service providers to connect Bellevue, Seattle, Kirkland and Issaquah with high-capacity transit service that optimizes convenience for riders. TR-82. Collaborate with transit service providers to plan for and implement high capacity transit service within Bellevue in a manner that advances the adopted land use vision. TR-83. Partner with transit providers and work closely with residents, businesses and other stakeholders in the design, security, maintenance and operation of transit stations and facilities to integrate them into the community. TR-84. Implement standards and guidelines to create transit stations that are valued places in the community. TR-85. Work with neighborhood groups, business owners, other stakeholders and transit providers to identify and fund improvements that can be constructed efficiently in conjunction with transit projects. TR-86. Protect residential neighborhoods adjacent to transit facilities from spillover impacts related to construction and operation. TR-87. Maintain and enhance safety when incorporating high capacity transit along Bellevue streets. TR-88. Support transit speed and reliability investments intended to achieve performance targets in the Mobility Implementation Plan, while maintaining capacity for other modes. TR-89. Ensure that agreements with transit providers include elements to provide long-term safety and security, operation and maintenance of stations. TR-90. Develop and implement permit conditions and other agreements with transit providers to develop, monitor, and adapt mitigation measures for the design and construction phases of projects to ensure the continual effectiveness of the measures. TR-91. Collaborate with transit providers to create a construction management plan for all new major transit investments that minimizes the corridor length disrupted by construction at one time and minimizes the time period of disruption. TR-92. Develop and implement an early and ongoing program with transit providers to provide assistance to residents and businesses to address adverse impacts of transit infrastructure construction. TR-93. Minimize disruption and inconvenience of construction staging areas to adjacent land uses, in collaboration with transit providers. # Active Transportation **TR-94.** Promote and facilitate active transportation. **TR-95.** Incorporate active transportation facilities along with other mobility options in scoping, planning, designing, implementing, operating and maintaining the transportation system. **TR-96.** Implement the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan and evaluate, describe, and prioritize projects that address Performance Target gaps through the Mobility Implementation Plan. **TR-97.** Construct, maintain and repair facilities for active transportation in accordance with current standards and guidelines. **TR-98.** Obtain improvements and easements for active transportation facilities and provide on-site bicycle parking through development review. **TR-99.** Coordinate with the Washington State Department of Transportation and with neighboring jurisdictions in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of active transportation facilities that pass through Bellevue as part of a regional system. **TR-100.** Ensure that a safe, permanent and convenient alternative facility is present prior to the permanent vacation of an off-street pedestrian or bicycle facility. **TR-101.** Consider the personal health benefits and the community environmental benefits of active transportation in project design and funding. **TR-102.** Promote and support the design, development and use of Eastrail as a regional multimodal facility. **TR-103.** Provide for current or future multi-modal transportation use and access when considering public and private projects adjacent to and across Eastrail. **TR-104.** Promote and support the design, development and use of the Grand Connection as a regional active transportation facility. **TR-105.** Support establishment and operation of a shared micromobility service in Bellevue. **TR-106.** Improve the opportunities for pedestrians to safely cross streets at intersections and designated mid-block locations. **TR-107.** Integrate the Mountains-to-Sound Greenway Trail into the I-90 corridor through Bellevue. # State and Federal Highways and Corridors **TR-108.** Support and advocate for improved freeway-to-freeway access. **TR-109.** Support and advocate for the completion of the regional HOV system, including HOV access to the freeway system and freeway-to-freeway HOV linkages **TR-110.** Encourage the Washington State Department of Transportation to enhance freeway access to serve Downtown Bellevue, Wilburton, BelRed, Eastgate and Factoria. **TR-111.** Work with state and regional agencies to ensure adequate capacity for both general purpose and high occupancy vehicle traffic on state highways. **TR-112.** Work with state agencies to incorporate enhancements to minimize impacts when improving state highways. **TR-113.** Support transit agencies in developing high-capacity transit facilities and service on I-90, I-405, and SR- 520 that will support planned growth and accommodate anticipated transit ridership. **TR-114.** Work with the state and other local jurisdictions to coordinate signalization at freeway interchanges. **TR-115.** Collaborate with partner agencies to include facilities for active transportation when planning, designing and constructing enhancements to I-90, I-405 and SR-520. **TR-116.** Actively participate in the planning, design and construction of the Eastside Transit and HOV Project on SR-520, including interchange improvements at 124th Avenue NE and the completion of the SR-520 Trail. ### Freight Mobility **TR-117.** Provide for the needs of freight movement in managing the existing transportation system and developing new facilities. **TR-118.** Require new development to provide for large-scale freight loading and unloading on-site rather than on the public right-of-way. **TR-119.** Provide flexible curbside space within public right-of-way to accommodate parcel delivery and passenger loading through development review and curb operation changes. ### Transportation Finance **TR-120.** Maintain broad-based financing capability to address Mobility Implementation Plan Performance Targets gaps through projects adopted in each update of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the TFP and the CIP. **TR-121.** Seek broadly-based financing through a mix of funding sources to support the TFP and the CIP through proportional participation from the beneficiaries of the system. 1. The citywide community; 2. Existing businesses and property owners; and 3. New development. **TR-122.** Support state legislation that preserves or increases state-shared revenues (e.g., gas tax) and retains and develops programs and local authorities (e.g., Public Works Trust Fund, Transportation Improvement Board, motor vehicle excise taxes, transportation benefit districts, etc.) that benefit and support the state, regional and local transportation system. **TR-123.** Leverage local funding to seek and secure state and federal funds for transportation capital, maintenance, and operations. **TR-124.** Provide and prioritize transportation funding to address Performance Target gaps for people walking, biking, riding transit, and travelling in a car. **TR-125.** Use statutorily authorized funding mechanisms available to local governments that are based on the special benefits received by property owners to fund transportation improvements. (e.g.: Local Improvement Districts, Latecomer Agreements, and Special Benefit Offsets). **TR-126.** Support joint projects, including the contribution of city matching funds, with adjoining cities, King County, the transit providers, or the state, where such partnerships help establish or accelerate projects beneficial to the city. **TR-127.** Support federal and state gasoline taxes and other funding measures to provide adequate funding for transportation improvements that keep pace with regional and community growth. **TR-128.** Secure funding to implement transit service and capital facilities. ### Environmental Considerations **TR-129.** Develop the transportation system in Bellevue to avoid, minimize or mitigate environmental impacts, while addressing long-term transportation and land use objectives. **TR-130.** Support means to reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled and transportation-source greenhouse gas emissions. **TR-131.** Add electric vehicle charging stations in designated curbside zones as required through development review. **TR-132.** Partner with state, county, and local jurisdictions, agencies, and public and private utilities on mobility electrification. **TR-133.** Incorporate natural drainage practices into transportation infrastructure projects where effective and feasible. ### Residential Safety and Livability **TR-134.** Preserve the safety and livability of residential streets through an adequately funded neighborhood traffic safety program. **TR-135.** Consider neighborhood traffic and livability conditions and address potential adverse impacts of public and private projects during the study, planning, design, permit and construction phases. **TR-136.** Involve affected neighborhoods, residents and other community partners in the planning and design of transportation system improvements. **TR-137.** Minimize non-residential parking in neighborhoods through residential parking zones and other measures. **TR-138.** Monitor traffic volume and speed on residential streets and establish appropriate traffic control measures with residents' concurrence. **TR-139.** Consider the needs of all roadway users when designing and building neighborhood traffic safety projects. **TR-140.** Employ traffic calming measures that adhere to Vision Zero and Complete Streets principles to slow vehicular travel speed along residential streets and to discourage cut-through traffic. --- ## Housing — Bellevue 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Housing Element (HO) - Source: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2024/cdd-23-673-cp-housing_0.pdf - Pages: 14 - Covers: housing <
> # Housing ## VISION **Bellevue meets the housing needs of its diverse population, strengthening neighborhoods and communities.** Bellevue works with its partners to meet the community's housing needs through a range of housing types and affordabilities. Bellevue employs a wide range of strategies to meet its share of the regional housing need. The city has been an effective participant in the region's work that has largely eliminated homelessness. ### HOUSING ELEMENT SCOPE The Housing element is about how the City makes sure housing is available and affordable to meet the needs of all sizes and types of households. # INTRODUCTION Bellevue’s Housing element describes the community’s vision for the future of housing in Bellevue while meeting the goals and requirements of the state Growth Management Act and the King County Countywide Planning Policies. Information in the Housing element is supplemented by the 2022 City of Bellevue Housing Needs Assessment, which can be found on the City of Bellevue website. The Housing Needs Assessment identifies existing and future housing needs based on socioeconomic characteristics of current and future Bellevue residents and workers and serves as a foundation for policy recommendations. Additionally, the 2017 City of Bellevue Affordable Housing Strategy, 2023 Racially Disparate Impacts Analysis, public input, Bellevue City Council priorities and Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050 guide contribute to Bellevue’s housing actions. Through its adopted plans and policies, the city pursues opportunities to: * Promote housing equity * Provide additional housing supply and a diversity of housing types * Meet the affordable housing need * Attend to the special housing needs of individuals and families * Prevent displacement of individuals and families from their homes and neighborhoods * Prevent homelessness The Housing element works in conjunction with Land Use, Transportation, Human Services, Economic Development and other community objectives addressed in this Comprehensive Plan. For instance, locating denser housing in mixed use areas supports the city's land use objectives. Increasing the supply of housing available to the city's diverse workforce supports economic development objectives. <
> photo by Stanton J Stephens # TODAY’S CONDITIONS AND TOMORROW’S PROJECTIONS ## Housing Today and Tomorrow: Trends and Key Findings The City of Bellevue Housing Needs Assessment highlights key trends and findings. Below are select findings from the 2022 Housing Needs Assessment. * Bellevue’s demographic trends highlight that the community needs a range of housing types to accommodate its population. Housing is needed for young adults (20-44 years), which are Bellevue’s most prevalent age group, as well as families with children and seniors—both of which have almost doubled since 1990. * Bellevue's commuting trends suggest that many of the city's workers either may not be able to afford suitable housing inside the community or the available housing may not meet their needs or preferences. Bellevue has high rates of commuting both to and from the city and the city's workforce largely lives outside of Bellevue (89%). * Bellevue's current housing stock is not aligned well with its population in terms of unit size. 53% of the housing units have three or more bedrooms, yet nearly 61% of the households have only one or two members. This may indicate that some larger housing units are underoccupied by small households who prefer a larger home or some larger households may be constrained by affordability to live in smaller units. * Rising regional prices have increased housing costs in Bellevue, resulting in high levels of household cost burden.[^p3-1] Housing cost burden disproportionately affects lower income and renter households. About 27% of all of Bellevue's households are cost burdened. Those most cost-burdened are moderate to low-income renters, seniors living alone and Black and Hispanic households. * Bellevue has a deficit in the number of units affordable to households earning less than 50% of the area median income (AMI). * Homeownership is out of reach for a growing proportion of residents, with the lowest homeownership rates for Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino households. Single-parent and nonfamily households are also less likely to own their home. * Over the past two decades, Bellevue has almost exclusively produced multifamily housing and, therefore, mostly rental housing. More than 80% of multifamily occupied housing units are renter-occupied, versus 19% of single family occupied housing units. This may limit housing choices for current and future Bellevue residents. # HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT An inventory of existing and projected housing need across Bellevue. ## Planning for Future Housing Needs The state Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that each county and city plans to accommodate the growth projected over the next 20 years. The GMA also requires that the city plans for and accommodates housing that is affordable to all economic segments of the population. Permanent housing needs in Figure HO-1 include both permanent supportive housing (PSH) and non-permanent supportive housing (non-PSH). Bellevue is planning for sufficient capacity to accommodate the 35,000 units projected to be built by 2044. This includes capacity for housing in all income groups and for emergency housing and emergency shelter housing. See details in Figures HO-2 and HO-3. ### Figure HO-1. King County Allocation of Future Housing Need | Affordability Level | Number of Units | | :--- | :--- | | 0-30% AMI* | Non-PSH | 11,925 | | | PSH | 6,270 | | 30-50% AMI | 8,780 | | 50-80% AMI | 2,671 | | 80-100% AMI | 703 | | 100-120% AMI | 798 | | >120% AMI | 3,853 | | Total Permanent Housing Need | 35,000 | | Emergency Housing Need | 6,688 | *The Area Median Income (AMI) for the Seattle-Bellevue Metropolitan Area as published on an annual basis by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [^p3-1]: ### Figure HO-2. Residential Capacity by Income Served | Income Served | Zone Category | Capacity (Units) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Above 120% AMI | Low Density Residential | 0 | | 80 to 120% AMI | Moderate Density Residential | 32,039 | | 0 to 80% AMI | Low-Rise Mixed Use | 6,401 | | 0 to 80% AMI | Mid-Rise Mixed Use | 33,605 | | Above 120% AMI | High-Rise Mixed Use | 21,660 | | Affordable Housing Capacity (0 to 80% AMI) | | 40,006 | | Total Residential Capacity | | 93,705 | ### Figure HO-3. Emergency Housing and Emergency Shelter Capacity | Use Type | Regulated As | Land Capacity (Units/Beds) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Emergency Housing – Nontransient | Supportive Housing | 44,394 | | Emergency Housing – Transient and Overnight Shelter | Homeless Services Uses | 2,358 | | Total Emergency Shelter & Emergency Housing Capacity[^p4-2] | | 46,752 | Details on the calculations to estimate capacity in Figure HO-2 and Figure HO-3 can be found in the FEIS. <
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> ### Challenges and Opportunities According to King County's allocation of housing need, the City of Bellevue must plan for more than half of its future housing need (more than 18,000 units) to be affordable for extremely low-income households—those earning at or below 30% AMI. One-third of the future need is allocated to low- or very low-income households—those earning between 30% and 80% AMI. Meeting these targets would represent a major increase in production of below-market-rate units in Bellevue and would require significant public subsidy and other tools and incentives to realize. Barriers to meeting affordable housing needs at low- and extremely low-incomes households include development regulations, process obstacles, limited land availability and funding gaps. Documentation of the existing barriers to affordable housing can be found in Appendix L of the FEIS for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The City of Bellevue is working to implement strategies to address these barriers through the implementation of this element and the city's functional plans. # HOUSING POLICY SUMMARY Bellevue’s housing ranges from low-density detached homes on large lots to high-rise apartments and condominiums, with a variety of housing types in between. Consistent with the vision of this chapter, the city seeks to promote housing equity, increase the overall housing diversity and supply, create affordable housing, attend to the unique housing needs of individuals and prevent displacement and homelessness. ### Housing Equity Bellevue acknowledges past and present housing discrimination, inequity and injustice and works to promote housing equity for all moving forward. The land that is now Bellevue is the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples, who ceded the land amidst significant power imbalances and poor translation of the treaties granting the land to the U.S. Government. Through the treaties many native people were displaced from the Bellevue area to reservations elsewhere in the region. Beginning in the late-1800s, the State of Washington adopted an “Alien Land Law” preventing immigrants, mainly Chinese and Japanese, from owning and then subsequently leasing land. The targeting of Japanese Americans continued through World War II, at which time approximately 300 families were forcibly removed from their homes in Bellevue and detained in internment camps. Racial covenants were also ### AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY Bellevue’s Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) is intended to substantially increase the city’s affordable housing stock over the next ten years. The primary purpose of the AHS is to improve affordable housing opportunities throughout the city consistent with City Council Priorities, Comprehensive Plan guidance and Economic Development Plan Strategies. common in Bellevue prior to the practice being struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1945, with at least 624 parcels subject to restrictions on occupancy and ownership based on race, ethnicity, or religion. While formalized discrimination based on factors such as race, ethnicity, religion and gender were outlawed through the Fair Housing Act, adopted in 1968, less explicit forms of discrimination have continued to occur to the present day. Many of these more subtle forms of discrimination can be found in housing practices, whether that is through realtors steering prospective buyers away from specific neighborhoods or through land use laws. Examples of land use laws that often have discriminatory impacts, on the basis of class or race, are: * Requirements for large lots, which increase housing prices * Only allowing for the siting of multifamily units along major roadways, which subjects residents to environmental hazards. The policies in this element work not only to create a Bellevue which provides housing opportunities for all current and future residents, but also to undo harms of the past. ### Housing Supply and Diversity As Bellevue and the Puget Sound Region continue to grow, and as Bellevue continues to be a desirable community to live in, the city will need to accommodate new residents through the supply of additional housing units. This Comprehensive Plan sets a goal of 35,000 additional housing units within the city by 2044. An analysis of housing capacity by income is in Appendices Q and R of the FEIS for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The Land Use element describes the manner in which the city will grow and identifies locations proposed for growth. This element builds upon the Land Use element by adopting policies to promote the provision of additional housing in Bellevue. Generally, the policies encourage housing supply by streamlining development ### HOUSING EQUITY Housing equity is when an individual’s race, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, ability or income does not impact their ability to access housing in the neighborhood of their choice. ### RACIALLY DISPARATE IMPACT ANALYSIS A report on policies and regulations may be having disparate impacts on particular racial or economic groups. regulations, incentivizing development and allowing for additional housing density within the city. Public input has shown support for diversifying Bellevue’s housing stock to allow for a greater mix of housing types throughout the city. A diversity of housing options, including accessory dwelling units, cottage housing, townhomes and multi-unit buildings, allow individuals and families to choose the housing that best suits their needs. Housing diversity also allows for various housing arrangements to meet social and cultural needs, such as multi-generational households, as well as aging-in-place as individuals’ needs change over time. Additionally, updates to Washington State law, notably House Bill 1110, require that the city allow for additional middle-scale housing types and units on the majority of residential lots. The policies contained in this element work to encourage a diverse housing stock, especially encouraging middle-scale housing typologies. ### Affordable Housing Housing affordability remains a challenge in Bellevue. According to the City of Bellevue Housing Needs Assessment, 27% of all households are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Lower income households are significantly more likely to be cost-burdened, with 74% of households earning at or below 50% of area median income and spending more than 30% of their income on housing. As estimated by the King County allocation of affordable housing needs, Bellevue will have to add approximately 29,000 housing units affordable to those earning 80% or less of the area median income by 2044. The policies in this element aim to meet this need by providing funding, working with regional and statewide partners, providing incentives and creating regulations that encourage or require the creation of affordable housing. Coupled with lack of affordability is a risk of displacement, especially for low-income populations. Displacement risk increases as housing costs rise and as naturally-occurring affordable housing is lost through redevelopment or change of ownership. Action or inaction from the city can exacerbate displacement risk. Land use code changes that increase property values or allow for new uses can encourage redevelopment of properties, leading to the loss of affordable housing as well as the social connections of residents. Policies in this chapter aim at preserving existing affordable housing, increasing affordable housing, providing assistance to persons to minimize risks of displacement and assisting those who have been displaced. ### Housing for Unique Needs Bellevue residents with differing needs may require housing accommodation or assistance. In general, populations in need of these housing types are those who require some assistance in their day-to-day living due to disability, health, age or other circumstances. Family living situations, residential programs, human services programs and assisted housing all serve a portion of the need. The city offers support and incentives for the development of housing for people in need of targeted housing. <
> photo by Stanton J Stephens ### Preventing Homelessness Based on the 2022 King County Point-in-Time Count, a count of individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night, there are approximately 13,300 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in King County. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority also estimates that just under 41,000 people experienced homelessness at some point in 2020. In collaboration with regional partners, Bellevue strives, in collaboration with regional partners, to prevent homelessness and ensure appropriate, secure and affordable housing. This element recognizes that individuals experiencing homelessness may need additional assistance in the form of transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, job services, healthcare and provision of basic needs, among others. This subsection is closely tied with the subsection on affordable housing and the Human Services element. # GOAL & POLICIES ## Goal To meet the housing needs of the entire community by promoting housing equity, increasing the overall housing diversity and supply, creating affordable housing, attending to individuals’ unique housing needs, and preventing displacement and homelessness. ## Policies ### Housing Equity **HO-1.** Encourage investment in areas with historically lower investment and where private investment patterns are not accomplishing this objective to encourage housing affordability and stability while providing amenities for the community. **HO-2.** Ensure that current and proposed regulations, policies and procedures do not lead to disproportionate impact on, or displacement of, marginalized populations. **HO-3.** To ensure progress toward reducing housing disparities, collaborate with those disproportionately impacted by housing cost in creating and implementing city housing policies, practices and regulations. **HO-4.** Lower barriers and encourage homeownership opportunities at all income levels, especially for populations that have historically been denied access to property ownership. **HO-5.** Acknowledge and document Bellevue’s role in historical events and actions that have led to housing disparities and discrimination and ensure equitable outcomes in housing in all city processes, procedures and regulations while working to undo past harms. **HO-6.** Minimize residents’ exposure to both natural and manmade environmental hazards and ensure that the city’s housing policies and regulations do not perpetuate historical patterns of environmental racism. **HO-7.** Employ effective strategies that support and enforce the Fair Housing Act and affirmatively further fair housing. **HO-8.** Enact policies which proactively prevent displacement of marginalized populations due to economic factors or large-scale planning or capital improvement projects. **HO-9.** Provide additional support to historically underserved communities and marginalized communities to connect them to housing and home ownership opportunities. **HO-10.** Work to identify and eliminate current city policies, practices and regulations that perpetuate housing disparities and discrimination. **HO-11.** Ensure a diverse housing stock, including affordable housing, throughout the city to meet the needs of all individuals and families of differing incomes, sizes, arrangements and cultural backgrounds. Housing Supply and Diversity HO-12. Collaborate with diverse partners on the provision of resources and programs to meet the city's housing need. HO-13. Provide incentives to encourage residential development for a wide range of household types and income levels in mixed use areas throughout the city. HO-14. Ensure there are zoning ordinances and building policies in place that allow and encourage an increase in the housing supply attainable to households along the full range of income levels. HO-15. Streamline permitting processes and create objective development regulations that encourage housing development throughout the city. HO-16. Evaluate the housing cost and supply implications of proposed regulations, policies and procedures and ensure that new regulations, policies and procedures promote affordability and housing diversity within the city. HO-17. Allow attached and detached accessory dwelling units in residential and mixed-use areas with the ability to be rented or sold individually. HO-18. Promote housing density, choice and affordability in areas served by the frequent transit network, businesses serving the community's day-to-day needs and significant nodes of employment. HO-19. Ensure that policies and regulations allow for middle scale housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, small apartment buildings, cottage housing and courtyard apartments. HO-20. Encourage units of sizes and types that accommodate multi-generational households and families with children in a variety of areas across the city, including both denser mixed use areas and low-density residential areas. HO-21. Monitor and assess the housing production in the city to track the city's progress toward meeting the projected jurisdictional housing needs across the entire income spectrum, consistent with state law and Countywide Planning Policies and take additional steps if needed. HO-22. Allow innovative housing types and demonstration projects that could serve as a model for new housing choices currently not being built in Bellevue. HO-23. Evaluate the impact of short-term rentals on the cost and supply of housing. HO-24. Use the Planned Unit Development (PUD) process to allow site planning strategies that can provide a variety of housing types and maximize the amount of buildable housing on development sites. HO-25. Promote climate-friendly housing that minimizes energy and resource use throughout the construction and life of the structure, and that is adaptable to a changing climate, including heat, flooding, air pollution and wildfire events. HO-26. Partner with non-profit and for-profit housing developers to help create a variety of housing types in the community. **HO-27.** Allow properties in residential designated areas on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan map to reclassify to higher density residential designations when they meet all the following criteria: 1. one hundred percent of the housing being developed will be permanently affordable housing; and 2. the property is owned or controlled by a religious organization; and 3. the property is located near high capacity transportation infrastructure and services; and 4. the property is located near other multifamily residential or commercial use districts. **HO-28.** Encourage development of appropriate amenities for families with children throughout the city through investments, development regulations and incentives. **HO-29.** Work cooperatively with the Washington State Department of Commerce, Puget Sound Regional Council, King County, subregional collaborations and other entities that provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions to support the development, implementation and monitoring of strategies that achieve the goals of the city. ### Affordable Housing **HO-30.** Substantially expand funding sources for affordable housing. **HO-31.** Work with educational institutions, including Bellevue College, and private developers to provide attainable housing. **HO-32.** Develop strategies to minimize displacement of marginalized populations, such as rental, eviction and foreclosure assistance programs. **HO-33.** Address the need for housing affordable to extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households, through funding, regulations, policies, procedures and other mechanisms. **HO-34.** Explore the creation of a funding mechanism to assist extremely low-, very low- and low-income households with property tax payments to prevent displacement. **HO-35.** Create opportunities to require or incentivize affordable housing when increases to development capacity are made. **HO-36.** Involve state and regional housing partners, developers and housing providers in the development of affordable housing incentives or requirements. **HO-37.** Ensure continuity of housing and minimize displacement of people with lower incomes by preserving existing affordable housing and encouraging its maintenance and improvement. **HO-38.** Monitor the city's stock of both subsidized and naturally occurring affordable housing and work to preserve it as permanent income-restricted housing. HO-39. Create a funding mechanism to purchase affordable housing units which become available or are likely to not remain affordable to both preserve affordable housing stock and prevent displacement. HO-40. Anticipate the future maintenance and restoration needs of older and more affordable neighborhoods through a periodic survey of housing conditions. Report results of such surveys to residents. HO-41. Provide financial assistance to households with extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate incomes for maintaining or repairing the health and safety features of their homes. HO-42. Provide assistance to households with extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate incomes to weatherize and increase the energy efficiency of their homes to reduce housing costs. HO-43. Recognize the connection between housing cost burden and mobility cost, and work to provide affordable housing in areas served by the frequent transit network. HO-44. Ensure affordable housing opportunities are available throughout the city at a range of affordability levels. HO-45. Ensure that all affordable housing created in the city with public funds or by regulation remains affordable for the longest possible term. HO-46. Create financial incentives to encourage affordable housing. Explore opportunities to utilize multiple programs simultaneously to attain deeper affordability or otherwise meet unique needs. HO-47. Encourage and prioritize the development of affordable housing through incentives, regulations, funding, policies, procedures and other tools. HO-48. Implement the bonuses and incentives for qualifying properties to encourage affordability and housing diversity and to prevent displacement of marginalized populations. HO-49. Provide incentives and work with diverse partners, including philanthropic organizations, to build permanent affordable housing and meet housing need, especially in areas of highest need. HO-50. Ensure that regulations and standards support the effectiveness of bonuses and incentives to increase permanently affordable housing on any qualifying property owned by faith-based or non-profit housing entities, or on surplus property owned by public entities. HO-51. Inform and educate religious organizations about the opportunity to develop affordable housing. HO-52. Prioritize suitable surplus city land for development of affordable housing, including affordable homeownership. HO-53. Explore co-locating affordable housing in the development of new city-owned capital facilities. HO-54. Explore the creation of a land bank to acquire land for future affordable housing needs as opportunities arise. HO-55. Explore shared equity homeownership models to create permanently affordable homeownership throughout the city. HO-56. Analyze major cost and regulatory barriers to the construction of affordable housing and minimize these barriers where they exist. HO-57. Provide funding to ensure housing needs are met, especially for special needs housing, extremely low-, very low- and low-income households. Assess housing fund guidelines on a regular basis to ensure they are consistent with changing community needs. HO-58. Pursue available federal, state and local programs and private options for financing the creation and preservation of affordable housing in the city. HO-59. Participate in relocation assistance to ensure a stable transition for lower income households facing displacement. HO-60. Work cooperatively with King County, A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) and other regional and statewide organizations and other jurisdictions to assess the need for, and to create, affordable housing. HO-61. Support programs and adopt policies that promote housing stability for renters. HO-62. Implement bonuses and incentives for qualifying properties to encourage affordability and housing diversity and to prevent displacement of vulnerable populations. ### Housing for Unique Needs HO-63. Encourage a range of housing types for older adults affordable at a variety of income levels to minimize displacement and ensure older adults can reside in the area of their choosing as their needs change over time. HO-64. Encourage and support the creation of housing to support those with unique needs throughout the city, including youth, persons with disabilities or in need of mental and physical health assistance, victims of domestic violence and refugees. HO-65. Promote the use of Universal Design methods that increase housing accessibility. HO-66. Support the development of housing options and related services for older adults and people living with disabilities, such as adult family homes and other housing for unique needs throughout the city. HO-67. Support and plan for assisted housing using federal or state aid and private resources. # Preventing Homelessness **HO-68.** Support the development of housing for people exiting homelessness in all areas of the city. **HO-69.** Work to co-locate services and housing to prevent occurrences of homelessness and to support residents’ transition into stable and permanent housing. **HO-70.** Collaborate with other jurisdictions and human service organizations to assure availability of emergency shelters and day centers that support those at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. **HO-71.** Perform outreach to populations at risk of losing their housing as well as those who are currently or have recently experienced homelessness to inform them of available services and assist them in utilizing those services. **HO-72.** Provide opportunities for community education regarding homelessness in order to foster meaningful dialogue. **HO-73.** Work to prevent homelessness and make homelessness rare, brief and one time when it occurs. **HO-74.** Provide a range of emergency and affordable housing options and collaborate on housing and human services efforts to support persons and families experiencing homelessness in moving towards housing stability. **HO-75.** Support the provision of transitional and supportive housing to prevent homelessness. **HO-76.** Encourage the provision of human services to support the development and operations of emergency and supportive housing and shelters. **HO-77.** Support efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of people experiencing homelessness. See also Human Services policies related to homelessness, HS-23 and HS-24. # Citations 1. Cost burdened households are those that spend more than 30% of their income on housing expenses, including taxes and utilities, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This leaves limited funds for other essential needs such as food, healthcare, education and transportation. 2. Combined capacity for all emergency housing types exceeds the allocated need. Specifically, the City has surplus capacity for Emergency Housing – Non-transient, which is regulated as Supportive Housing, without any changes to current regulations. However, the City's combined capacity for Emergency Housing – Transient, which is regulated as a Homeless Services Use, is less than the King County identified need for this type of housing based on current regulations. --- ## Conservation — Bellevue 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Climate and Environment Element (CL) - Source: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2024/cdd-23-673-cp-climate-environment_0.pdf - Pages: 26 - Covers: conservation <
> # Climate and Environment ### VISION **Bellevue embraces its stewardship of the environment by protecting and enhancing natural systems, accelerating decarbonization and clean energy, addressing the impacts of climate change and building for a sustainable future.** As growth and development occurs, Bellevue is working to build a greener, more sustainable and climate resilient future for generations to come. New buildings and infrastructure are designed to have a positive impact on the environment and to protect and even restore natural systems. The community highly values and celebrates the results, such as reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air, increased tree canopy and more salmon in local streams. ### CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT SCOPE The Climate and Environment element is about how the city restores, protects and enhances Bellevue’s built and natural environment to increase resiliency and sustainability and address the impacts of climate change. <
> # INTRODUCTION The City of Bellevue has long been known as a "City in a Park." Located between the shores of Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish, Bellevue contains unique, environmentally sensitive wetlands and urban forests that provide amenities for residents and key habitat corridors for wildlife. Bellevue is also a rapidly growing and urbanizing city, known as a regionally important jobs center, retail and tourism destination and home to diverse cultural attractions. Like all cities in our region, Bellevue also faces worsening and accelerating impacts from climate change, while working to mitigate and repair existing environmental damage. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing citywide resilience to climate impacts and protecting and enhancing Bellevue’s urban ecosystems require the coordinated efforts of government, businesses and the community. The City of Bellevue serves as chief steward of the city's environment and assumes responsibility for the implementation of federal and state environment statutes, such as stormwater management and critical areas protection. Through regulations programs and incentives, the city encourages the preservation, restoration and improvement of the natural environment in an urban setting. ## ENHANCING OUR "CITY IN A PARK" Bellevue’s park-like setting is a defining characteristic of the city and is created by more than open spaces, ball fields and playgrounds. As a “City in a Park,” Bellevue is made up of streams and lakes that are home to protected species of fish and other aquatic life; dense forests of madrona, cedar and Douglas fir trees where hundreds of species of birds and even large mammals can thrive; unique wetlands that provide peacefulness and recreation and a balanced web of ecosystem functions. These valuable environmental resources exist across multiple land use classifications and therefore require a restoration approach that prioritizes involvement from diverse stakeholders and takes advantage of opportunities for public-private partnership. To address climate change and preserve Bellevue’s “City in a Park” character, the city has set ambitious targets to preserve and protect natural systems including our urban forests along with targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing mobility options and electrifying car infrastructure, reducing energy use, transitioning to renewable energy and reducing consumption and waste. As Bellevue has matured, environmental sustainability and climate resilience have assumed a higher priority in public policy. A community that embraces sustainability must continually improve and adapt its built environment to function within natural limits, while restoring and reconnecting to its natural environment. This includes actions such as: * Minimizing and eventually eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, * Investing in the citywide transition to renewable energy sources, * Minimizing the susceptibility of environmentally sensitive areas to damage and increasing their resilience to future climate impacts, * Minimizing the rate at which resources are consumed to below the rate at which they can be replenished, * Minimizing the amount of noise, waste, and emissions generated to what the natural world can absorb without negative impact, * Maximizing open space, habitat, and opportunities for recreation, * Increasing communitywide climate resilience, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable populations, * Improving infrastructure systems to support healthy, sustainable living for people and wildlife. Bellevue evaluates the impact of administrative and legislative decisions on the urban environment—with particular attention to climate change and impacts on environmentally sensitive areas—and seeks to align and integrate environmental sustainability with its other important responsibilities (for example, public safety, infrastructure needs and economic development). Additionally, Bellevue evaluates its policies and decisions to account for current and future climate change to ensure that growth occurs sustainably and resilience is factored into city decision-making. Bellevue recognizes the <
> ### ELECTRIC VEHICLES Bellevue has been a leader in supporting the growth of electric vehicle adoption. The City is actively working to expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city, ensuring that residents, visitors, employees and the city's own fleet can take advantage of low-cost, zero-emissions forms of transportation. ### WHAT ARE CRITICAL AREAS? The Growth Management Act requires cities and counties to adopt regulations for the protection of environmentally critical areas, which include wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, areas of frequent flooding and geologically hazardous areas. Critical areas may not be suitable for development, either because they are environmentally sensitive or it is not safe to build near them. importance of protecting the environment and stable climate that have attracted so many people to the city, while ensuring sustainable growth and urbanization to provide for the needs of the growing number of residents and businesses that call Bellevue their home. Figure CL-1. Solid Waste Generation and Diversion <
> * Commercial & Multi-Family Garbage * Single Family Garbage * Recycling (all sectors) * Compost (all sectors) Source: City of Bellevue. Figure CL-2. Bellevue Citywide Community GHG Emissions by Sector <
> Source: City of Bellevue. 2023. GHG Inventory. Figure CL-3. Bellevue’s Municipal GHG Emissions by Sector <
> Source: City of Bellevue. 2023. GHG Inventory. <
> # TODAY’S CONDITIONS AND TOMORROW’S PROJECTIONS ## Climate Change and the Environment Today and Tomorrow Bellevue’s attractiveness as a place to live, work and play depends on preserving and enhancing the natural assets of the community and increasing the city’s climate resiliency, while simultaneously nurturing sustainable economic growth and social vibrancy. While Bellevue is renowned for its waterways, parks, forests and wildlife habitat, conditions in these environments have been under pressure, due to climate change and unsustainable historical urban development patterns and practices. The city’s significant recent development and population growth have resulted in an overall increase in impervious surface, heat island effect and declines in the extent and quality of wildlife habitat, especially for aquatic species. Like most urban streams in the Puget Sound lowlands, all of Bellevue’s major streams are classified as biologically impaired. In addition to impacts from unsustainable development and toxic pollution, Bellevue’s urban streams and lakes face climate impacts that threaten to further degrade conditions necessary for aquatic wildlife to thrive. *** ### ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PLAN The Environmental Stewardship Plan is a strategic action plan which guides the efforts of the city to achieve short and long-term environmental goals and targets, both community-wide and for its own municipal operations. At the same time, some environmental conditions have improved alongside recent growth and development: Bellevue’s urban tree canopy has increased since 2011 and is at its 40 percent citywide target; the city has increased mobility options and is expanding its multimodal transportation network, building out miles of pedestrian and bicycle facilities that will connect to Eastrail and the East Link Light Rail. The city has made significant progress in its transition to electric vehicles (EV), and has one of the highest EV adoption rates per capita in the U.S. The city has also made progress in reducing municipal and per capita community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, despite significant population and job growth. # Figure CL-4. Bellevue Stream Water Quality <
> **B-IBI Classification Levels** | | | | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ■ Very poor (10-16) | ■ Poor (18-26) | ■ Fair (28-36) | ■ Good (38-44) | ■ Excellent (46-50) | <
> In addition to environmental impacts from development, both positive and negative, Bellevue is already experiencing the direct impacts of climate change. These impacts range from extreme heat, such as the 2021 Heat Dome event, to extreme rainfall events and flooding. As climate change worsens and accelerates, the City of Bellevue plays a critical role in both mitigating greenhouse gas emissions for the wellbeing of generations to come, and increasing the resilience of its community to current and future impacts that cannot be avoided. Local climate policies and actions must be increasingly ambitious to address years of inaction at the Federal level, and to complement and build upon recent State policies, to achieve emissions reductions and resilience improvements at the speed required by current climate science. Special care must be paid to ensuring that Bellevue’s most vulnerable residents do not disproportionately bear the burden of climate impacts, and that all residents have equitable access to carbon-free energy and transportation systems. Bellevue can commit to being part of the vanguard of the global movement toward greener cities that foster biodiversity and develop in ways that reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, build community and ecosystem resilience and # TREE CANOPY Bellevue’s urban tree canopy provides habitat, stormwater management services, clean air, carbon capture and a buffer for urban noise and visual pollution. Beyond the trees themselves, vegetation and soils in natural areas reduce the velocity, temperature, and amount of water flow during storms. Additionally, tree canopy provides shade and can significantly lower the surface temperature of urban neighborhoods during extreme heat events linked to climate change. Development projects that result in tree loss compromise all these critical ecosystem services. The city has a goal of achieving a tree canopy that covers at least 40 percent of the city, which is consistent with the American Forests recommended goal of 40 percent tree canopy in urban areas. Despite city-wide declines in tree canopy through the 1980s and 1990s, Bellevue has steadily regained tree canopy in the last couple of decades. result in net-positive changes in environmental conditions—all of which help to keep Bellevue a green, healthy and livable city into the future. **Figure CL-5. Bellevue Tree Canopy Coverage** <
> # Challenges and Opportunities Alongside the opportunities presented by Bellevue’s abundant natural resources and diverse ecosystems are challenges related to sustaining and stewarding Bellevue’s natural environment for generations to come, particularly in an era of worsening climate change. Bellevue faces the following challenges to its climate and environment in the coming decades: * Impacts from worsening climate change, particularly in the form of extreme heat, extreme precipitation and flooding; drought; changes to stream temperature and snowpack; aquatic habitat degradation from flash flooding; and wildfire and wildfire smoke. * Threats to the resilience of Bellevue’s various sectors from climate impacts, including: buildings and energy systems, cultural resources and practices, economic development, ecosystems, emergency management and response, human health, land use and development, transportation and infrastructure, utilities (including solid waste, wastewater, and stormwater management) and water resources. * Increased vulnerability of historically marginalized groups to climate impacts as a result of social inequity that lowers adaptive capacity of communities, including Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities, communities of recent immigrants, low-income households and households who do not speak English. Other groups, including children, older adults and people with disabilities, may also be more vulnerable to climate impacts due to underlying health conditions that lower adaptive capacity. * Potential for degradation of environmentally sensitive (critical) areas and wetlands from worsening climate change, presenting further threats to the habitat of culturally and historically important species, including salmon. ## PROTECTING CRITICAL HABITAT Bellevue’s natural environment contains critical terrestrial and aquatic habitat, supporting culturally significant species like salmon, western red cedar and American black bear. The city has a strong history of protecting habitat for a variety of species. The city also plans for the future of its urban forest and its watersheds by utilizing climate resilient species that are adapted to tolerate drought and extremes in heat and precipitation. Protecting water sources from pollution and maintaining high levels of water quality can help aquatic ecosystems withstand climate impacts and increase resiliency. The Growth Management Act requires cities and counties to adopt regulations for the protection of environmentally critical areas, which include wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, areas of frequent flooding and geologically hazardous areas. Critical areas may not be suitable for development, either because they are environmentally sensitive or it is not safe to build near them. The Kelsey Creek Basin is the primary Chinook salmon stream in Bellevue. Chinook salmon, in addition to being culturally significant, are a listed species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which extends protections to critical habitat as well as individuals of the species. Other migratory corridors and habitat for salmonid species include Coal Creek, Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish. Bellevue’s salmon, along with regional populations, face increasing stress from climate impacts to stream temperature, toxic pollution and sediment load. Bellevue coordinates its regulatory responsibilities with regional salmon recovery planning efforts. * Geologic hazards, and the potential for a magnitude 7.0 to 7.5 earthquake along the Seattle Fault, a thrust fault zone two-to-four miles wide that runs parallel to I-90 in Bellevue. Seismic activity could have secondary impacts, including infrastructure damage and soil liquefaction. * Potential threats to Bellevue’s tree canopy amidst ongoing growth and accelerating climate impacts, particularly to certain species adapted to a colder climate. * Impacts to electrical grid resilience due to increased demand from building and transportation electrification and extreme weather events. In spite of these challenges, Bellevue has robust policies to foster sustainable growth and development, climate resilience, ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and a healthy human and natural environment. In response to the challenges Bellevue faces with regard to climate and environment, the city also seeks to embrace the opportunity to create a thriving and sustainable future. In addition, many policy objectives aimed at improving livability in Bellevue, such as transit-oriented development, multi-modal transportation investments, and middle housing can also support the achievement of Bellevue’s climate and sustainability goals and increase resilience to climate change. In the coming decades, Bellevue can: * Grow and develop sustainably, halting and, when possible, repairing the negative impacts of previous growth patterns and development practices. * Foster equity alongside climate resilience, ensuring that all residents are prepared for a resilient climate future, and reducing disparities in climate vulnerability for Bellevue’s historically marginalized communities. * Assume regional and national leadership in climate and sustainability through setting and achieving ambitious climate targets, pioneering *** ## BELLEVUE’S COMMITMENT TO BUILDING GREEN Bellevue has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable development through a number of recent building projects. The Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center (MSEEC) was designed and built to have minimal impact on the environment. Special gutters, porous concrete, and catchment ponds slow and filter water runoff at the site. Green roofs at the site reduce impermeable surfaces and warming around buildings. Renewable, recycled, local materials, along with sustainably harvested wood, were used in the construction of the buildings. In 2009, the city received a Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating for the MSEEC. Since then, Bellevue has built or retrofit a number of its facilities to achieve LEED or other green building and energy efficiency standards, including Parks facilities, fire stations and City Hall. sustainable practices and spearheading regional environmental partnerships and collaboration. * Reduce vehicle miles traveled for every resident and continue to uphold Bellevue’s character as a “City in a Park” through advanced public transit access and robust bicycle and pedestrian networks. * Maintain, enhance, protect and steward Bellevue’s natural environment for the benefit of its residents and ecosystems for generations to come, ensuing that Bellevue’s unique and precious natural systems continue to contribute to the city as a place to live, work and recreate. # CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY SUMMARY Bellevue's policies establish clear guidance for the city's actions, regulations and decision-making around climate change and environmental stewardship. The Climate and Environment policies are organized into the following 12 subsections: ## Environmental Stewardship Bellevue's Environmental Stewardship policies provide a citywide framework to protect and enhance the environment at a local, regional and global scale. These policies define the various approaches to conserve, steward and sustainably use air, water, land and energy resources over generations. Successful environmental stewardship will help ensure Bellevue is fulfilling its role in minimizing the city's climate impacts while fostering community values for environmental protection. ## Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reduction policies establish broad strategies to decrease citywide emissions and transition to clean and renewable energy sources. These policies will support programs and regulations that reduce GHG emissions at the speed and scale required by current climate science, which will result in the secondary benefit of improved air quality and climate resilience. New electric transportation technologies, coupled with mobility strategies such as mass transit, pedestrian/bike infrastructure and transit-oriented development, which are elaborated upon in the Transportation element, will help the community reduce the significant greenhouse gas emissions associated with today's transportation infrastructure. ## Urban Forestry Urban Forestry policies provide a framework to protect the city's trees, reach community canopy goals and maintain Bellevue's "City in the Park" character. These policies support tree canopy co-benefits of local and regional air and water quality, biodiversity and habitat conservation, climate mitigation and public health. Additionally, these policies address the need for robust tree canopy protection and preservation as the city continues to grow and native tree species face increasing stress as a result of climate impacts. The Urban Forestry policies recognize the important environmental justice role tree canopy plays in mitigating the urban heat island effect, which disproportionately impacts low-income and BIPOC communities. ## Climate Resiliency Climate Resiliency policies seek to prepare Bellevue for projected climate impacts. These policies support local programs and regulations addressing the city's climate vulnerabilities, particularly to historically marginalized populations, and prepare the city to respond to environmental changes or natural disasters caused by climate change. The policies address intersecting climate vulnerability across many of Bellevue's sectors, including stormwater management, grid reliability and long-range planning and capital projects. ## Waste and Materials Management Waste and Materials Management policies promote sustainable waste management practices. The policies support community goals to achieve zero-waste and prioritize environmentally-friendly products. Responsible waste and materials management contributes to Bellevue's goals to reduce climate and environmental impacts. Policies address zero-waste practices at a municipal level and across the Bellevue community, including waste produced by residents, businesses and waste haulers. ## Water Resources Water Resources policies aim to protect or improve local water quality and support regional watershed health. The city's water resources provide drinking water, recreational opportunities and aquatic habitat for native species. These policies promote strategies to reduce or eliminate pollution sources, improve stream and watershed functions, and protect or improve the community's aquatic habitats. The policies are designed to address the sources of point pollution and promote the health of entire basins and watersheds, recognizing the interconnectedness of water resources at a local and regional scale. These policies cover the broad nature of water resources, managing the health and sustainable use of the city's aquatic habitat, groundwater, surface water and drinking water. ### Geologic Hazards Geologic Hazards policies are intended to protect geologic resources and mitigate risks associated with geologically hazardous areas. These policies promote strategies to manage development in geologic hazard areas in a manner that protects residents, community assets and natural resources. Geologically hazardous areas generally include steep slopes, unstable land or soils and other areas that are vulnerable to geologic risks such as erosion, liquefaction or subsidence. ### Sustainable Development Sustainable Development policies encourage Bellevue to develop in a manner that minimizes the environmental impacts of development and strives towards a net environmental benefit from new buildings and infrastructure. These policies promote a range of development approaches and practices, based on scientific standards, that promote sensitive site development and emphasize water savings, energy efficiency, sustainable materials and indoor environmental quality. Sustainable development integrates nature-based solutions and mitigates the climate and environmental impacts historically associated with unsustainable urbanization patterns and practices. Successful implementation of these policies will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate impacts, improve water quality and watershed health and enhance Bellevue’s livability. ### Air Quality In the Puget Sound region, emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles are the primary source of air pollution. Other sources include industrial operations, indoor and outdoor burning and wildfire smoke. Air Quality policies aimed at reducing these sources improve community wide public health while simultaneously supporting the city's climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ### Fish and Wildlife Habitat Fish and Wildlife Habitat policies promote habitat preservation, enhancement and restoration for local and regional plant and animal species. These policies prioritize conservation and development practices that avoid or mitigate impacts to the various types of fish and wildlife habitat in Bellevue. The city's fish and wildlife policies are also intended to meet regional and state habitat conservation and management goals to support healthy, resilient and adaptive species communities. ### Critical Areas Bellevue's critical areas provide valuable habitat, protect and enhance water quality, facilitate stormwater conveyance, enhance local aesthetics and offer recreation, cultural resources and education opportunities. Bellevue protects these functions and values through the use of a Critical Areas land use designation, which establishes a regulatory framework for critical areas and their buffers. Land use regulations applicable to development within Critical Areas are intended to guide development in a manner that preserves and enhances critical area functions and values. ### Noise Excessive noise is a form of pollution that has direct and harmful effects upon the public's health and welfare and adversely affects the livability, peace and comfort of neighborhoods and the city as a whole. Noise, like many forms of pollution, is both a local and a regional problem. The city's noise control regulations are based on Comprehensive Plan policies to manage and reduce noise, with a particular focus on traffic and other transportation sources. The Transportation element contains additional policies relating to traffic noise. Noise is expected to be higher near major roadways, heavy industry and dense commercial areas. Therefore, policies support stronger noise protection and mitigation for residential neighborhoods and wildlife. # Map CL-1. Tree Canopy The tree canopy in Bellevue is measured based on imagery from the USDA's National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP). The methodology is periodically updated to provide accurate estimates that are comparable across time. <
> # Map CL-2. Critical Areas Overlay — Streams, Wetlands and Floodplains This map is a graphic representation of known streams, wetlands, FEMA mapped floodplains and fish and wildlife habitat areas within Bellevue. Site-specific analysis is required to determine whether critical areas exist on individual property. <
> Notes: The City of Bellevue does not guarantee that the information on this map is accurate or complete. This data is provided on an "as is" basis and the City disclaims all warranties. Site specific field identification based on critical area definitions in Bellevue’s Land Use Code is required to determine whether critical areas exist on individual property. Flooding may occur beyond (outside) the mapped floodplain. Data Sources: City of Bellevue, National Wetlands Inventory, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial Technology Services. # Map CL-3. Critical Areas Overlay — Geologic Hazards This map is a graphic representation of known earthquake fault lines, liquefaction zones, soil erosion hazards, steep slopes and coal hazards within Bellevue. Site-specific analysis is required to determine whether critical areas exist on individual property. <
> Slopes over 40% & >= 1,000 Sq. Ft. Severe to Very Severe Soil Erosion Hazard Area (NRCS) Coal Mine Subsidence Zones Coal seams City limits Liquefaction Hazard Areas (DNR) Low to Moderate Hazard Moderate to High Hazard Peat Active Faults: Known or Suspected (DNR) Visible Fault Trace Inferred Fault Trace Urban Growth Area Boundary Note: Although highly organic soils such as peat are not capable of liquefying, they are capable of undergoing large permanent deformation as a result of strong earthquake shaking, which could damage structures and disrupt buried utilities. Data Sources: City of Bellevue, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), National Conservation Service (NRCS). Produced by: City of Bellevue Community Development Department and Department of Information Technology, Geospatial # GOAL & POLICIES ## Goal Ensure that planning efforts, infrastructure investments and municipal operations proactively manage natural resources to meet the needs of current and future generations while maintaining the integrity, stability and beauty of natural systems. ## Policies ### Environmental Stewardship **CL-1.** Conduct city operations in a manner that support of the achievement of Bellevue’s Environmental Stewardship goals and ensures the sustainable use of natural resources, promotes an environmentally safe workplace for its employees minimizes adverse environmental impacts and respects tribal sovereign and inherent rights. **CL-2.** Eliminate the release of substances into the air, water and soil that may have harmful impacts on people, wildlife or the environment. If total elimination is not practical, minimize to the greatest extent feasible. **CL-3.** Promote and invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy resources as an alternative to non-renewable resources. **CL-4.** Protect air, water, land and energy resources consistent with Bellevue’s role in the regional growth strategy. **CL-5.** Provide regional leadership on sustainable development, climate resilience and greenhouse gas emissions reduction that extend beyond Bellevue’s boundaries and require regional cooperation. **CL-6.** Provide the public with educational opportunities and resources about environmental issues and illustrate individual actions that benefit the environment. **CL-7.** Acknowledge ancestral tribal lands as part of environmental education. **CL-8.** Use life cycle cost analysis that includes a social cost of carbon and best management practices in city procurement, projects and budgeting process as essential components of effective environmental stewardship and long-term fiscal responsibility. **CL-9.** Support partnerships between the city, private landowners and regional tribes to steward private lands and ancestral lands, streams, habitat and other natural resources for the benefit of all. **CL-10.** Consider equitable impacts and historic health and environmental disparities when planning land use and capital projects, using recognized local, state or federal environmental justice tools. **CL-11.** Incorporate environmental education, interpretation and ancestral land acknowledgment into public and private projects, where appropriate. ## Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction **CL-12.** Accelerate the transition to all-electric buildings to improve public health and safety, increase climate resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect building owners and tenants from the future costs of removing or retrofitting obsolete fossil fuel infrastructure. **CL-13.** Adopt and implement policies and programs to achieve a target of reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions, compared to a 2011 baseline, by: * 50% by 2030, * 75% by 2040, and * 95% by 2050 and net-zero emissions through carbon sequestration and other strategies. Evaluate and update these targets over time in consideration of the latest international climate science and best practices. **CL-14.** Consider climate change impacts and limit new greenhouse gas emissions when planning for new growth, while supporting emissions reductions from existing uses. **CL-15.** Lead by example by reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from city operations by amounts equal to or greater than citywide goals. See also Capital Facilities policies related to high performance facilities, CF-15 to CF-24. ## Urban Forestry **CL-16.** Achieve a citywide tree canopy target of at least 40% canopy coverage that reflects our “City in a Park” character and maintain an action plan for meeting the target across multiple land use types including right-of-way, public lands, and residential and commercial uses. **CL-17.** Minimize the loss of tree canopy, biodiversity and natural areas as a result of transportation and infrastructure projects, and mitigate for losses where impacts are unavoidable. **CL-18.** Strive to minimize loss of tree canopy from development and mitigate unavoidable tree removal. **CL-19.** Protect trees during development to ensure survivability and health of trees on sites undergoing development. **CL-20.** Protect Culturally Modified Trees on both public and private lands, in partnership and consultation with regional tribes. **CL-21.** Preserve the significant trees throughout the city to help maintain biodiversity and urban forest health. **CL-22.** Create optimal soil conditions for street tree plantings as specified in the city’s Environmental Best Management Practices and Design Standards Manual to nurture a large tree canopy and build resilience to extreme heat and precipitation events. CL-23. Consider the long-term impacts of climate for managing the health of the urban forest. CL-24. Strive to increase tree canopy in neighborhoods with lower tree canopy or higher urban heat island effect, using an equity lens. ### Climate Resiliency CL-25. Evaluate climate vulnerabilities as part of long-range planning efforts and capital projects. Develop and implement climate change adaptation strategies that create a more resilient community by addressing the impacts of climate change to public health and safety, the economy, public and private infrastructure, water resources, and habitat. CL-26. Advocate for increased grid reliability through state and utility regulatory rulemaking and legislation that supports demand response, storage and other clean technologies that reduce peak load, improve grid flexibility and support rapid electrification of buildings and vehicles. CL-27. Ensure that stormwater design standards account for future climate change impacts such as extreme precipitation events, and recharge groundwater where feasible, in accordance with Best Available Science. See also Utilities policies related to storm and surface water, UT-34 to UT-44. ### Waste and Materials Management CL-28. Achieve zero-waste community-wide in accordance with the Environmental Stewardship Plan. CL-29. Prioritize the use of sustainable, healthy products that are recyclable and made from recycled materials, or have other environmental attributes throughout their lifecycle. Support circular economy programs and products. CL-30. Engage in Environmentally Preferable Purchasing practices and support extended producer responsibility to reduce waste to landfill and carbon emissions. CL-31. Work with residents, businesses and waste haulers to continue to improve percentage of waste diverted from landfill. CL-32. Increase the landfill diversion rate of construction and demolition waste through reuse and recycling, from both city and private projects. CL-33. Ensure new commercial and multi-family buildings provide sufficient space for three separate waste streams: landfill-bound waste, recycling and organics. ### Water Resources CL-34. Integrate site-specific development standards with urban watershed-scale approaches to managing and protecting the functions of critical areas to enhance habitat, water quality and other ecosystem services, including the protection of watersheds and wellhead areas that are sources of drinking water supplies. CL-35. Retain existing open surface water systems in a natural state and restore conditions that have become degraded. CL-36. Maintain surface water quality, defined as meeting federal and state standards and restore surface water that has become degraded, to the maximum extent practicable. CL-37. Monitor surface water quality and implement measures to identify and address the sources of contamination. CL-38. Employ the best management practices and technology, education and enforcement strategies to minimize non-point source pollution. CL-39. Retrofit public storm drainage systems and prioritize investments where there is a significant potential for restoring surface water quality important to preserving or enhancing aquatic life. See also Utilities policies related to storm and surface water, UT-34 to UT-38. CL-40. Reduce runoff from streets, parking lots and other impervious surfaces and improve surface water quality by utilizing low impact development techniques in new development and redevelopment. CL-41. Restore and protect the biological health and diversity of the Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish basins in Bellevue’s jurisdiction. CL-42. Manage water runoff for new development and redevelopment to meet water quality objectives, consistent with state law. CL-43. Allow existing farming and agriculture in wetlands and in the 100-year floodplain so long as water quality and buffer functions are not substantially impacted. ### Geologic Hazards CL-44. Allow land alteration and vegetation removal only for approved development proposals. CL-45. Regulate land use and development to protect natural topographic, geologic, vegetational and hydrological features. CL-46. Protect geologically hazardous areas, especially forested steep slopes, recognizing that these areas provide multiple critical areas functions. CL-47. Maintain updated geologic maps of the city, in conjunction with updates to regional geologic mapping efforts and other significant changes. CL-48. Maintain current geotechnical information related to landslides and erosion problems in the city’s Geographic Information System. CL-49. Promote soil stability and the use of the natural drainage system by retaining and enhancing critical areas of existing native vegetation. **CL-50.** Prohibit development on unstable land and restrict development on potentially unstable land to ensure public safety and conformity with natural constraints. **CL-51.** Require an analysis of soil liquefaction potential where appropriate, in the siting and design of structures and infrastructure. **CL-52.** Use geotechnical information and an analysis of critical areas functions and values to evaluate the geologic and environmental risks of potential development on geologically hazardous areas and implement appropriate controls on development. **CL-53.** Utilize Best Available Science to ensure development is a safe distance from geologically hazardous areas to protect public safety. **CL-54.** Use specific criteria in decisions to exempt specific small, isolated or artificially created steep slopes from critical areas designation. **CL-55.** Minimize and control soil erosion during and after development through the use of best management practices and other development restrictions. **CL-56.** Provide information to the public about potential geologic hazards, including site development and building techniques and disaster preparedness. **CL-57.** Regulate development in coal mine hazard areas by requiring that a project proponent (with review, oversight and approval by the city): * Conservatively evaluate risks. * Eliminate the potential for catastrophic effects and keep development out of catastrophic risk areas. * Mitigate any non-catastrophic impacts. * Protect ratepayers from costs associated with development in areas potentially impacted by mining. * Provide disclosure mechanisms to inform property purchasers of past mining activities. **CL-58.** Consider climate change impacts, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, in planning and adjusting requirements related to geologic hazards and critical areas, in accordance with Best Available Science. ## Sustainable Development **CL-59.** Maintain land use regulations that limit the amount of impervious surface area in new development and redevelopment city-wide. **CL-60.** Provide land use incentives to minimize the amount of impervious surface area below that allowed through prescriptive standards, in new development, redevelopment, and existing development citywide. **CL-61.** Implement the city-wide use of low impact development techniques and green building practices. > See also Utilities policies related to storm and surface water, UT-34 to UT-38. **CL-62.** Encourage shared multi-building or district-scale green stormwater infrastructure solutions in situations where on-site approaches are determined infeasible. **CL-63.** Make low impact development the preferred and commonly-used approach to site development to minimize impervious surfaces, native vegetation loss and stormwater runoff. **CL-64.** Provide education and incentives to support the implementation of low impact development practices, integrated site planning and green building, with a focus on early consideration of these in the site development process. **CL-65.** Support the use of emerging best practices in the area of green building and site design, including climate resilience measures, through the use of pilot programs and model ordinances. **CL-66.** Support sustainable and resilient net-zero and net-positive new development by phasing out fossil fuels and promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation and building electrification and electric grid integration. **CL-67.** Support energy efficiency retrofits and electrification in affordable housing properties, through incentives, financing, assistance and other strategies. **CL-68.** Encourage the use of low-carbon materials and building design principles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all parts of the project life cycle. **CL-69.** Support opportunities for district energy and incorporate district-level sustainability features in growing areas. ### Air Quality **CL-70.** Support federal, state and regional policies intended to combat climate change and protect clean air in Bellevue and the Puget Sound Basin. **CL-71.** Work with the private sector to reduce growth in vehicle trips as a key strategy for reducing automobile-related air pollution. **CL-72.** Implement projects that provide significant air quality improvements to areas with existing poor air quality. **CL-73.** Provide transportation improvements for the purpose of relieving localized substandard air quality by shifting traffic from the most polluted areas to less congested facilities nearby, balancing other community needs such as equitable traffic or noise impacts. **CL-74.** Electrify the city's light-duty fleet, and promote the electrification and use of ultra-low or zero-emissions fuels for the city's medium and heavy-duty vehicles. **CL-75.** Maintain the ban on outdoor burning within the urban area and encourage the composting of leaves and other yard debris and other actions as alternatives to burning. **CL-76.** Reduce the amount of air-borne particulates through a street sweeping program, dust abatement on construction sites and other methods to reduce the sources of dust. # Fish and Wildlife Habitat **CL-77.** Provide incentives to private property owners to achieve specific habitat improvement goals, including retention and enhancement of native vegetation. **CL-78.** Encourage property owners to incorporate suitable indigenous plants in critical areas and buffers, consistent with the site’s habitat type and successional stage, and considering species’ climate resilience. **CL-79.** Anticipate and plan for increased demand in access to green and natural areas, including critical areas, in ways that protect the health and ecological function of those areas for future generations. See also Parks, Recreation & Open Space policies related to the provision of parks and open space, PA-2 to PA-4. **CL-80.** Identify, prioritize and implement public projects to improve habitat. **CL-81.** Preserve and maintain the 100-year floodplain in a natural and undeveloped state, and restore conditions that have become degraded. **CL-82.** Protect, restore and maintain shoreline, wetland and riparian habitats to reduce erosion, provide shade, protect water quality, provide habitat for fish and wildlife and restore similar areas that have become degraded and improve the resilience of streams and aquatic species to climate change. **CL-83.** Stabilize stream banks and shorelines if necessary by using bioengineering techniques except where hydrology, excessive cost, or other factors make this approach infeasible. **CL-84.** Give special consideration to conservation or protection measures necessary to preserve or enhance anadromous salmonids, recognizing that requirements will vary depending on the aquatic resources involved, including differing stream classification, and that additional efforts may be identified in the regional salmon recovery planning process. **CL-85.** Prohibit creating new fish passage barriers and remove existing artificial fish passage barriers in accordance with applicable state law. **CL-86.** Coordinate with WSDOT, King County and neighboring jurisdictions to plan and prioritize culvert upgrades to ensure fish passage barrier removal, adequate projected stormwater passage and continued climate-related adaptations to handle water passage into the future throughout Bellevue, especially where terrestrial species connectivity can be restored simultaneously. **CL-87.** Require and provide incentives for the opening of piped stream segments during redevelopment where scientific analysis demonstrates that substantial habitat function can be restored, and where the cost of restoration is not disproportionate to the community and environmental benefit. **CL-88.** Preserve and enhance native vegetation in Critical Area buffers and integrate suitable native plants in urban landscape development, considering species’ climate resilience. CL-89. Improve wildlife habitat especially in patches and linkages by enhancing vegetation composition and structure and incorporating indigenous plant species compatible with the site. CL-90. Encourage the use of native and climate-adaptive plants in residential and commercial landscapes, considering species’ climate resilience. CL-91. Develop and support additional habitat enhancement demonstration projects. CL-92. Protect wildlife corridors to minimize habitat fragmentation, especially along existing linkages and in patches of native habitat. Identify opportunities to expand habitat protection and improve habitat quality and connectivity using conservation area designations, buffers and open space corridors. CL-93. Utilize studies and management recommendations to protect important wildlife habitat characteristics on land that is not a designated critical area. CL-94. Manage fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas to protect overall habitat functions and values (food, water, cover, space), except where a “special status species” requires targeted habitat management. CL-95. Rely on federal, state, and county agencies to identify “special status” wildlife species, but allow for a process to identify species of local importance to Bellevue in consultation with tribes based on their sovereign and inherent rights to fish, hunt and gather in usual and accustomed areas.. CL-96. Manage naturally occurring ponds to provide fish and wildlife habitat, promote good water quality, and control invasive aquatic plants. CL-97. Prioritize efforts to preserve or enhance fish and wildlife habitat through regulations and public investments in critical areas with largely intact functions and in degraded areas where there is a significant potential for restoring functions. CL-98. Recognize the important role Bellevue plays in recovering salmon populations by acting on the goals of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council, the Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda, the Washington Salmon Coalition, and other related groups and collaborative salmon recovery documents. ### Critical Areas CL-99. Use the best scientific information available in an adaptive management approach to preserve or enhance the functions and values of critical areas through regulations, programs, and incentives. CL-100. Use prescriptive development regulations for critical areas based on the type of critical area and the functions to be protected; and as an alternative to the prescriptive regulations, allow for a site specific or programmatic critical areas study to provide a science-based approach to development that will achieve an equal or better result for the critical area functions. **CL-101.** Recognize critical area function in preparing programs and land use regulations to protect critical areas and to mitigate the lost function due to unavoidable impacts. **CL-102.** Develop programs and regulations acknowledging that designated critical areas such as wetlands, shorelines, riparian corridors, floodplains and geologically hazardous areas provide multiple functions including fish and wildlife habitat. **CL-103.** Establish a target of no net loss of ecosystem composition, structure and function, especially in Priority Habitats and Critical Areas, and strive for net ecological gain to enhance biodiversity and climate resilience. **CL-104.** Use science-based mitigation for unavoidable adverse impacts to critical areas to protect overall critical areas function in the watershed. **CL-105.** Implement monitoring and adaptive management plans for critical areas mitigation projects to ensure that the intended functions are maintained or enhanced over time. **CL-106.** Facilitate the transfer of development potential away from critical areas and the clustering of development on the least sensitive portion of a site. **CL-107.** Reduce or eliminate regulatory barriers to protecting and enhancing critical areas. **CL-108.** Develop partnerships with land conservation organizations to acquire critical areas and buffers to protect and restore critical areas functions. **CL-109.** Explore opportunities for public acquisition and management of key critical areas of valuable natural and aesthetic resources, and fish and wildlife habitat sensitive to urbanization through a variety of land acquisition tools such as conservation easements and fee-simple purchase. **CL-110.** Allow for building footprint expansion options for existing single family structures in critical areas, protective buffers and setbacks only in a manner that does not degrade critical area functions. **CL-111.** Require mitigation proportional to any adverse environmental impacts from development or redevelopment in the Protection Zone. **CL-112.** Establish or use current best-practice methodology for assessing economic value of critical area ecosystem services and climate resilience services. Include ecosystem services valuation in planning and infrastructure projects, including to inform mitigation or loss of ecosystem services compensation. ### Noise **CL-113.** Ensure that excessive noise does not impair the permitted land use activities in residential, commercial and industrial land use districts. **CL-114.** Protect residential neighborhoods from noise levels that interfere with sleep and repose through development standards and code enforcement. **CL-115.** Require a noise analysis for transportation projects in or near residential areas if existing or projected noise levels exceed city-adopted standards, and implement reasonable and effective noise mitigation measures when appropriate. **CL-116.** Monitor and mitigate freeway noise and air pollution in collaboration with the state and other partners, prioritizing areas that are the most burdened with noise and air quality impacts. See also Land Use policies related to air quality, LU-45 and LU-46. **CL-117.** Require new residential development to include transportation noise abatement design and materials where necessary, including the preservation of vegetation, to minimize noise impacts from arterials and freeways. **CL-118.** Evaluate the benefits of measures designed to mitigate arterial noise, particularly noise walls, including co-benefits of air pollution mitigation, considering impacts on the pedestrian environment and neighborhood character. **CL-119.** Consider noise impacts when evaluating measures designed to keep traffic volumes and speeds within reasonable limits on collector arterials. --- ## Open Space — Bellevue 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element (PA) - Source: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2024/cdd-23-673-cp-parks-rec-openspace_0.pdf - Pages: 14 - Covers: open_space <
> # Parks, Recreation and Open Space ## VISION **Bellevue is a "City in a Park."** Bellevue builds a healthy community through an integrated and accessible system of exceptional parks, natural areas and recreation opportunities. In Bellevue everyone can connect to each other and to nature through experiences that help them to live, grow and thrive. *** ### PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE SCOPE The Parks, Recreation and Open Space element is about how the city plans for, acquires and maintains parks, trails and open spaces and how it develops recreational activities and programs. # INTRODUCTION Bellevue’s natural environment has long been central to its quality of life. The city lies between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish, touching the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Within the city are hundreds of acres of urban forests, wetlands and streams that support wildlife. Recognizing this unique natural setting, Bellevue is a “City in a Park.” Within a fast-growing city, our parks and open spaces serve as a reminder of the natural world. Bellevue’s parks, recreation and open space system includes land and water access, greenways and trails, recreation amenities, programs and services that are treasured community assets. The system provides opportunities for the community to gather, play, learn and connect with nature, while protecting the city’s natural resources and cultural landscapes. It is expected that everyone in Bellevue can enjoy outstanding parks and recreation facilities through delivery of programs and spaces that are high-quality, accessible, safe and culturally responsive. To provide a well-maintained and responsive parks, recreation and open space system, the city embraces partnerships and seeks opportunities to collaborate with all sectors of the community. These collaborations promote effective use of public funds, enhance programming and service delivery and invite the community to share in the mission. ## PARKS AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEM PLAN The Parks and Open Space System Plan guides the long-range vision for acquisition and development of parks and trails and preservation of open space. It also sets the standards whereby the system is operated and maintained. The plan is a foundational tool in developing the Parks & Community Services Department’s Capital Investment Program. <
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> # TODAY’S CONDITIONS AND TOMORROW’S PROJECTIONS ## Parks, Recreation and Open Space Today and Tomorrow Parks, recreation and open space facilities are used regularly by people that live, work and visit Bellevue. System-wide, it is estimated that over one million visits are made to parks facilities each year. In general, park users report a high level of satisfaction with parks and recreation opportunities and see the parks, recreation and open space system as a key element of a high quality of life. As of 2024, Bellevue Parks & Community Services manages over 2,700 acres of parks and open space. The system features a variety of park lands, from small neighborhood parks to large, multi-use community parks to natural areas managed for resource conservation. About 98 miles of trails managed by Parks & Community Services weave through Bellevue’s parks and greenway corridors. Historic structures and art installations are also found throughout the system. Large multi-use community centers and other recreation facilities serve different geographic areas of the city and offer services targeting specific population groups. Athletic fields and courts support organized outdoor sports such as soccer, football, lacrosse, basketball, cricket, baseball, golf and tennis. Other recreation facilities found in parks include playgrounds, picnic shelters, off-leash dog areas, an aquatic center and community garden plots. There are opportunities for visual and performing arts, special community events, after-school and summer day camps, youth leadership development and life-long learning skills. Bellevue recreation programs continue to be popular with tens of thousands of participants through community centers, programs for older adults, the Bellevue Youth Theatre, youth sports, skate parks, day camps and other events and opportunities. Annually, several thousand volunteers from the Bellevue community support the programs and services offered by Parks & Community Services. Bellevue is an attractive place for commercial and residential development in part because of the extensive and well-maintained system of parks and open space. Growth of the population is associated with increased demand for system facilities and will require additional facilities be added to the system to maintain an adequate level of service for the community. Commensurate resources and funding will also be needed to maintain parks to their typically high standard. Several aspects of growth, along with demographic trends, will impact the future of the parks, recreation and open space system in Bellevue. ### RECREATION PROGRAM PLAN The Recreation Program Plan defines the City's role as a recreational provider in the system, states a vision for recreation programming and establishes a set of priorities to guide the investment of public resources in support of the recreation program vision. Bellevue has become and will continue to develop as a diverse city. The increasing diversity of park users will affect the type of services and recreation offered in the future. For instance, older adults will need recreation facilities and programs that cater to their specific needs. Growing ethnic and cultural diversity creates opportunities to provide a wider variety of sports, arts and cultural events to all Bellevue residents. New parks and trails will be needed to serve areas of growth across the city, in addition to currently underserved areas. Maintaining and increasing access to parks and trails is a priority. Neighborhoods like Downtown, BelRed and the western side of Wilburton are expected to see extensive growth. These neighborhoods need to have access to parks and quality outdoor space for many people in a relatively constrained area. Apartment, condo and townhome buildings will make up most of the housing growth in Bellevue and multi-family housing does not always have dedicated private parks facilities for residents. Careful parks planning and acquisition strategies will be necessary to ensure that all areas of the city have equitable access to safe, diverse and quality recreation opportunities. <
> # Opportunities and Challenges ## Neighborhood Diversity The population is not spread evenly across all of Bellevue's neighborhoods. Downtown Bellevue offers the opportunity for an urban lifestyle preferred by some residents. BelRed and the western edge of Wilburton are developing into dense mixed-use centers as well. At the same time, Bellevue is home to many low-density neighborhoods with detached homes and small apartment complexes and townhomes. Parks designed for urban areas differ substantially from those designed to serve lower density residential areas. A variety of parks, recreation facilities and services are needed to serve people in Bellevue's diverse neighborhoods. Adding parks to meet the needs of residents that are currently underserved as well as future residents will add complexity and richness to the overall system. ## Regional Partnerships The city pursues a variety of partnerships to provide park facilities and programming of a diverse nature to meet needs of the community and changing recreation trends. Establishment of greenways is one example where partnerships are currently used. Greenways provide important active transportation linkages between neighborhoods, schools, parks and activity areas. The city is actively pursuing a coordinated system of greenways that provide multiple benefits for residents of the community and <
> the natural environment. Examples of major greenway initiatives are the Eastrail corridor and the Mountains to Sound Greenway. The city is working with regional partners to design a new separated trail facility extending the entire length of the city from north to south in the case of the Eastrail corridor and east to west along the I-90 corridor with the Mountains to Sound Greenway. As the community continues to grow, additional partnerships will be needed that provide funding, land and innovative options to create accessible, inclusive and varied parks and recreation opportunities. ## Serving All Areas of the City While Bellevue's park system is generally well-distributed throughout the community, several areas of the city are less served by parks and trails than others. For example, the Eastgate area south of I-90 included no park facilities at the time of annexation in 2012. The Parks and Open Space System Plan identifies underserved areas of the city and includes a plan for increasing access to the parks system. ## Rising Land Costs and Land Scarcity There are competing demands for the fixed supply of land within the city. As commercial and residential development continues to occur, land for parks and open space becomes scarcer and more expensive. At the same time, Bellevue needs to continue to acquire new park land to maintain and increase access to parks and natural areas. The resulting high cost of land across the city, particularly in Downtown and redeveloping areas of BelRed and Wilburton, along with the scarcity of large tracts of undeveloped land, point to a future of smaller, targeted acquisitions. Such acquisitions would make it difficult to fully serve community needs, put pressure on existing larger parks in the system and limit the ability to satisfy new recreation trends that may require large facilities. In response, there are opportunities for the city to reduce impacts of land scarcity. Bellevue will need to look for ways to increase acquisition, dedication or other public interests in park land through the private development process. Connectivity of open space is a priority through the development process. For land acquired, options will be assessed to maximize available space that does not contain sensitive natural resources. This may include shared park-use facilities or improvements that could expand the use of facilities. In some cases, the alignment of multiple city objectives under one project may bring together resources to acquire or develop larger properties for public recreation use. Given the increasing cost and scarcity of land, the city will work creatively with many partners to continue to increase access to parks and provide varied recreation opportunities for the community. <
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> ### Stewardship of Facilities and Natural Resources Bellevue prides itself on having well-maintained facilities and strong natural resource management through its parks and open space system. However, with additional growth in the area there is likely to be increased demand and use of parks facilities that may result in their degradation if maintenance and land stewardship resources are not maintained at a high level. Resource stewardship also provides an opportunity for Bellevue to further the “City in a Park” image. Opportunities may arise in parks to plant trees or restore a stream. As parks are developed there is an eye towards taking advantage of natural water infiltration and installing green stormwater infrastructure where needed. When constructing or renovating buildings the city strives to use sustainable materials and practices. In the face of climate change, Bellevue parks provide an example for environmental stewardship. # Parks, Recreation and Open Space Policy Summary The Parks, Recreation and Open Space element contains policies that guide the acquisition, development and operation of Bellevue’s parks and open space system. It also contains policies for recreation programs and the provision of community services. Policies are separated into four categories according to different areas of service to the Bellevue community. ## Parks and Open Space System Bellevue values equitable access to the parks system, providing new recreation opportunities that serve the diverse needs of the Bellevue community, protecting environmentally sensitive areas and maximizing available resources, such as land, funding and partnership opportunities. ## Recreation and Community Services Bellevue recognizes that use of the park system is maximized by offering a wide variety of education, recreation and social programming for all members of the community. Activities address all ages and provide culturally specific recreational pursuits as well as inter-generational opportunities. ## Stewardship The community values conserving and protecting natural resources. Bellevue works to maintain parks and open spaces for their recreational uses as well as for their beauty and contribution to a functioning ecosystem. ## Maintenance, Renovation and Redevelopment Bellevue has a long-standing tradition of providing impeccably maintained and high-functioning parks, trails and open space. <
> # Map PA-1. Parks, Open Space, Community Centers and Trails Bellevue works to expand and connect the parks and open space system. The map shows the system as of 2024. <
> # Map PA-2. Park Access The map shows areas of the city that are within a 1/3 mile of a public park or trail access point. Bellevue continues to work to increase access to parks and trails for all residents. <
> # Map PA-3. Regional Park Facilities and Greenway Connections The regional park facilities and greenways in Bellevue connect the city with the rest of the region. Please refer to the Parks and Open Space System Plan for more details. <
> # GOAL & POLICIES ## Goal To build a healthy community through an integrated and accessible system of exceptional parks, natural areas and recreation opportunities. ## Policies ### Parks and Open Space **PA-1.** Establish a coordinated and connected system of open space and greenways throughout the city that provide multiple benefits including preserving natural systems, protecting wildlife habitat and corridors, enhancing scenic character, and providing land for recreation. **PA-2.** Obtain land throughout the community to meet present and future parks and open space needs, with emphasis on providing park land concurrent with growth and density of urban neighborhoods, in alignment with the Parks and Open Space System Plan. **PA-3.** Equitably distribute a variety of parks, community centers and other indoor and outdoor recreation facilities throughout the city, with consideration of underserved areas and those neighborhoods expected to experience the most growth. **PA-4.** Design parks and facilities to maximize available space and benefits for users, including offering parks with multiple functions and implementation of shared use facilities. **PA-5.** Increase safe, non-motorized access between dwellings and parks, trails and open space through development of additional facilities and mobility improvements. **PA-6.** Connect Bellevue’s parks and trails to the regional system of nearby state, King County and neighboring city parks, greenways, trails and facilities. **PA-7.** Obtain, for preservation, natural areas that are sensitive to development or represent a valuable ecological resource to the community. **PA-8.** Acquire and develop waterfront property to increase public access to Bellevue’s lakes. **PA-9.** Where in alignment with parks and open space goals, maximize use of public lands by collaborating with other city projects and programs to incorporate utility, storm drainage, underutilized right-of-way and other public lands into the parks and open space system. **PA-10.** Develop partnerships with other public agencies, non-profits and the private sector to provide and fund parks, open space, and cultural and recreation facilities in the city. **PA-11.** Actively seek funding from a variety of sources to help implement a park acquisition and development program using tools such as levies, grants, impact fees, special taxing districts or other methods. **PA-12.** Pursue private dedication of land and funds for park related purposes through a variety of methods such as donation, easement and land use code incentives. **PA-13.** Encourage a network throughout the city of privately funded and managed facilities that serve recreation and cultural needs and may supplement or link with facilities and programs in the public system. **PA-14.** Develop safe pedestrian and bicycle linkages between neighborhoods and major natural areas, recreation facilities, schools and commercial centers. **PA-15.** Coordinate with Eastrail Corridor owners to develop, operate and maintain park and open space amenities in the Corridor, in addition to the multiuse trail, in areas where there is an identified need for added park and open space access. **PA-16.** Assess needs and develop recreational facilities to meet demand for growing recreation and leisure activities, based upon user trends, demographics and community input. **PA-17.** Use a community informed planning process to guide substantial development or redevelopment of a park property. **PA-18.** Provide accessible signage and wayfinding tools to direct individuals to park facilities from nearby streets and trails in order to promote and facilitate public use of parks. **PA-19.** Acquire new parks and develop additional public gathering spaces that could accommodate large events distributed across areas of the city near mass transit. **PA-20.** Support development of elements of the Grand Connection that provide spaces for gathering and recreation, such as the Meydenbauer Bay waterfront and a lid park over I-405, as well as connections to parks and greenways. ### Recreation and Community Services **PA-21.** Provide a variety of services and programs accessible to all throughout the city with special emphasis on underserved groups including low-income households, youth, individuals with disabilities and older adults. **PA-22.** Provide opportunities for individuals to develop a sense of community through services, programs, events and volunteer activities, including opportunities that encourage cross-cultural and inter-generational interaction. **PA-23.** Offer programs that are tailored to the unique resources, land and facilities within the city's parks and open space system. **PA-24.** Use parks to celebrate, acknowledge and preserve the full local history, including that of native populations through park design, signage, programming and cultural landscape conservation. **PA-25.** Develop partnerships with non-profit organizations in planning, developing and utilizing facilities. **PA-26.** Develop partnerships with the public school districts to utilize school sites to provide recreation and cultural facilities. **PA-27.** Collaborate with school districts and private and non-profit providers to deliver a coordinated array of recreation, athletic instruction, arts, gathering spaces and community services. **PA-28.** Promote partnerships with public and private service providers to meet cultural, recreational, and social needs of the community. **PA-29.** Explore provision of human services at recreation facilities and community centers when they complement the site’s recreational and cultural programming. See also Human Services policies related to facilitating services, HS-5 to HS-8. **PA-30.** Actively solicit community input in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services and programs to ensure that they are relevant, equitable and accessible. **PA-31.** Based upon data trends and inclusive outreach, monitor and respond to the community's evolving recreation and community service needs to ensure a mix of relevant and effective facilities that meet the needs of a diverse population, including programs that are culturally specific or promote intercultural exchange. ### Stewardship **PA-32.** Design, construct, operate and maintain parks and facilities to preserve the ecology of natural systems. **PA-33.** Seek opportunities to integrate natural drainage practices and green stormwater infrastructure into park design and management to provide community amenities and watershed benefits. See also Utilities policies related to stormwater management UT-34 to UT-38. **PA-34.** Protect and retain, in a natural state, significant trees and vegetation in publicly and privately-dedicated greenbelt areas. See also Climate and Environment policies related to urban forestry, CL-16 to CL-24. **PA-35.** Manage park lands to increase ecological health of tree canopy across the city, where appropriate and backed by planning and analysis. **PA-36.** Seek opportunities to restore natural areas within parks and open space. **PA-37.** Manage Bellevue’s forest resources, including street trees, formal plantings and self-sustaining natural stands, to enhance their ecological function and ensure their long term vitality. **PA-38.** Provide environmental stewardship and nature education programs to increase the community’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of Bellevue’s natural environment, while also informing the community about climate change threats and ways to prepare and build resilience to these changes. **PA-39.** Develop, fund, and maintain streetscape and arterial landscaping along transportation corridors that provides valuable aesthetic, environmental, traffic calming and storm water management benefits helping maintain Bellevue’s “City in a Park” character. ## Maintenance, Renovation and Redevelopment **PA-40.** Conserve energy, water and other natural resources, and practice efficient and environmentally responsible maintenance and operation procedures. See also Capital Facilities policies on high performance facilities, **CF-15** to **CF-24**. **PA-41.** Evaluate existing parks and facilities, and renovate, where appropriate, to maximize efficient maintenance and operating practices, improve safety and accessibility for all users, and to reduce, where feasible, the impacts on adjacent properties. **PA-42.** When feasible, install, renovate or replace facilities using materials, construction and operation methods that meet or exceed green building certification or other performance standards and are known to be weather-resistant and longer lasting. **PA-43.** Develop parks and facilities in a quality manner to assure attractiveness, full utilization and long term efficiency. **PA-44.** Establish a funding plan for long term maintenance and operation before constructing park-related facilities. **PA-45.** Eliminate and prevent uses of lands and facilities that impact or are not in alignment with the intended use or plan.