Bellevue City Council Meeting - June 10, 2025: Middle Housing Code Amendment and Proclamations
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Bellevue City Council Meeting - June 10, 2025: Middle Housing Code Amendment and Proclamations
The Bellevue City Council met on June 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting began with a proclamation recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, followed by public comments concentrated on the proposed Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) addressing middle housing in response to state House Bills 1110 and 1337. The bulk of the meeting was a study session where council debated and voted on several policy options to customize the state mandates. The council also approved appointments to city commissions and took note of a written report.
Consent Calendar
- 25-442 Council minutes from May 20, 2025, were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
Eleven speakers addressed the council during Oral Communications. Topics included:
- Troy Schmeil (Bellevue resident and local builder) spoke in support of the planning commission's recommendation for middle housing, urging retention of a 1,750-square-foot cottage size and warning that a $150,000 fee-in-lieu would hinder development.
- Jasmine Smith (Futurewise) expressed strong support for the planning commission's proposal and urged bold action.
- Alex Kahn (Bellevue resident) supported the planning commission's original proposal, stating half measures would worsen traffic and affordability.
- Craig Spitzel (Bellevue resident) opposed the proposed changes, citing concerns about property values, privacy, and density, especially near 100th Avenue NE.
- Ann Coughlin criticized what she perceived as insulting language from opponents of middle housing.
- Pamela Johnston opposed the density near transit centers, worried about tree loss and infrastructure strain.
- Nicole Myers urged careful design standards and questioned the lack of outreach to less-informed residents.
- Alan Huang discussed a power line issue at a development site and asked the city to intervene.
- Dr. Mercer requested road resurfacing and promoted her nonprofit services.
- Marali Manugetty opposed the current middle housing proposal, requesting a quarter-mile radius, off-street parking, and preservation of neighborhood character.
- An additional speaker was cut off for disruptions.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation: Councilmember Bhargava presented the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day proclamation. Shauna Oxmith of Bellevue Network on Aging accepted, sharing a case of elder financial abuse and noting that nearly 47% of elder abuse is perpetrated by a family member.
- Council Business: Appointments to the Human Services Commission, Planning Commission, and Transportation Commission were approved unanimously. Kay Williams was appointed to the Transportation Commission for a term expiring May 31, 2029.
- Study Session – Land Use Code Amendment (25-443): City staff presented background on House Bills 1110 and 1337, the planning commission's recommendation, and four key policy areas where council could exceed or align with state minimums. The council discussed and voted on each:
- Density near transit stops: Motion to adopt baseline quarter-mile walking distance (Option A) passed 4-3.
- Types of middle housing: Motion to allow all nine types (Option B) passed unanimously.
- Building height: Motion to adopt 32 feet for flat roofs and 35 feet for pitched roofs (Option C) passed.
- Cottage housing: Motion to limit cottages to 24 feet in height and 1,500 square feet plus 300 sq ft garage (Option C) passed 4-3.
- Density near regional centers: Motion to allow six units by right within a quarter-mile of regional and candidate countywide growth centers (Option B) passed 5-2.
- Fee-in-lieu for affordable housing: Motion to adopt a $150,000 per-unit fee (Option A) passed 4-3 after a substitute motion for no fee (Option D) failed 2-1-1.
- Parking requirements: Motion to adopt state baseline (one space per unit for lots under 6,000 sq ft, two for larger lots) failed 3-4; the planning commission's recommendation (one space per unit regardless of lot size) will be used.
- Treatment of ADUs: Motion to count detached ADUs toward density but not attached ADUs (Option B) passed.
- Councilmember suggestions (not voted): Pre-approved cottage designs, enforcement against illegal short-term rentals, and encouragement of grocery stores near transit were raised for future consideration.
Key Outcomes
- The council directed staff to finalize a Land Use Code Amendment incorporating the approved options: quarter-mile transit radius, all nine middle housing types, reduced building heights, restricted cottage size, expanded density near centers, a $150,000 fee-in-lieu, one parking space per unit, and the ADU density counting rule.
- The final ordinance is scheduled for action at the June 24, 2025 council meeting to meet the June 30 state deadline.
- The meeting extended past 10:00 PM and was adjourned after the study session.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the regular Bellevue City Council meeting for June 10th, 2025. Before we get beginning we have Karin Roberts instead of Charmaine as our city clerk tonight. Thank you for being here. And I want to take a special moment to thank a staff member who is having their final week here after a long career with the city council. This person has been a real dedicated partner to the council. She has been our scheduler, our phone caller. You've all interacted with her. Exchange informations and talk about many many different things. And uh she knows what's important and what she need to watch out for each of us, what's our own particular habits are, so you can watch out for that. So I want to thank you. We're gonna miss you very much so. But I'm sure that we'll see you still around. So thank you, Michelle. Thank you very much. Council member. Yeah, thank you. I just want to say, Michelle, that uh I wish you the very best and whatever and whatever you do from here. Thank you so much for all the service to the city and the support to the council and the news from the council. Uh, we've had the least amount of time together, but in that brief amount of time, you've made it really easy, super efficient, and a lot of fun. So thank you, and I wish you the best. I don't know if Councilmember Malikutian can hear me, but if you'd like to say something. Absolutely hear you, and I would love to say something if you guys can hear me. Yes, go ahead. Yes, I also wanted to echo everyone uh and say my appreciation to Michelle. I have been always listening to her. I didn't even know we have an option to not listen to her. That's the first time I'm hearing from Councilmember Lee that that that was an option. So uh she has she has been a great help to me, onboarding me and uh uh helping me to be on track. So the whole council office and including Michelle. So I just wanted to also take this moment, wish her amazing time after this, and hopefully you're going to be in touch, and thank you so much. And then council member Hamilton. Great, thank you, Mayor. Uh yes, I mean, thank you, Michelle. I I just you know, you have a vast knowledge of what goes on at the city, and uh you've shared a lot of that with me and a lot with the community members. Um, and I know that we've all appreciated it, and I feel like you know you have just you know amplified our work and and really been uh a really important team member. And I um I do think uh I agree, I think was said earlier that you really do set the standard, and I think that um we'll see that standard upheld in the current team as it's uh and as it's reconfigured when you go. Uh, you deserve a great retirement. Uh I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun traveling, spending time with the grandkids, and it's certainly well deserved. So thanks for everything. So thank you, Michelle. I'd like to give you a uh big hand to somebody who didn't want anything said. All right, let's let's uh oh a picture with Michelle. Let's ask her if she'd like that. Would you like a picture? Okay, uh Clerk, would you like us to do roll call, please? Yes, Mayor Robinson here, Deputy Mayor Malacutian. Councilmember Bargava? Yeah, Councilmember Hamilton. Here council member Lee. Here, Councilmember New in House here, and Council Member Sumatouria.
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