Bellevue Planning Commission Meeting - July 24, 2025

The Bellevue Planning Commission met on July 24, 2025, in a hybrid format. The meeting included the election of a new chair and vice chair, a public hearing on the Newport Neighborhood Area Plan (NAP), and a study session on the draft Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO). The commission heard public comments, deliberated policy amendments, and made recommendations to the City Council.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

• Commissioner Vesis acting as chair opened nominations. Vice Chair Conlu was nominated and elected as Chair. Following a procedural mix-up, Johnny Liu was nominated and elected as Vice Chair after a vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Oral Communications (non-NAP):

  • Michelle Wanamaker (Eastgate resident) expressed concern about variances reducing steep slope setbacks from 75 feet to 15 feet, stating that an 80% reduction should not be allowed. She urged the commission to require city council review for such variances.
  • A speaker (Mr. DeSalvo) highlighted emergency changes to bus routes 240, 241, and 246 effective September 1, 2025, which will eliminate service in a five-square-mile area, impacting working-class residents.
  • Alex Zimmerman spoke in a combative manner, accusing the commission of discrimination and calling for a revolution. The chair interrupted for hate speech.
  • Mike Dickram (Newport Hills resident, developer) argued that the current CAO definitions for wetlands and steep slopes are inaccurate, stating that 95% of regulated wetlands are actually blackberry fields, and that steep slope definitions (1:15) are not scientific. He urged using USGS studies.
  • Charlie Bauman (Bell Red property owners group) stated the CAO draft still blocks redevelopment in urban areas like Bell Red. He advocated for a performance-based approach that distinguishes functional from degraded habitats, and urged the commission to revise the FACET report to include science for restoring degraded urban streams.

• Public Hearing on Newport Neighborhood Area Plan:

  • Faye Ho (Newport Hills resident, 20 years) claimed the plan's 80% owner-occupancy statistic is false, citing 60% investor ownership on her street. She asked to delay adoption until the community profile is corrected or to remove the misleading claim, and to add policies tracking investor ownership and unlicensed businesses.
  • Sue Ba (Lake Heights resident, 35 years) supported the updated NAP, stating it is designed to move the area forward.
  • Gary Danberg (speaking for Q Nail Spa owners) expressed concerns about displacement of small businesses, traffic strain, and lack of targeted outreach. He urged a pause on the HOMA LUCA.
  • Anne Brashier (Newport Hills Community Club president) emphasized the importance of the Newport Hills commercial district as a walkable, social hub. She noted the draft NAP misses the centrality of this center and requested policies that highlight and preserve it.
  • Ann Rittenhouse (former CAC member from 1994) criticized the current outreach as lacking, noting no CAC was established, notices went out late, and some comments were not reflected. She requested the commission refer the plan back to staff for more community engagement.
  • Mike Dickram (again) described the zoning as flawed and urged realistic disclosure of potential development (e.g., 1,000 housing units at 1.5 FAR). He asked for a correct presentation of maximum use.
  • Heidi Dean (speaker) questioned equity in comparing Newport's small neighborhood center to larger mixed-use centers, and noted that policies for Crossroads (e.g., business retention, commercial district organization) were not included for Newport. She requested a delay.
  • Another speaker (unidentified) expressed fear of change, citing traffic congestion, loss of retailers like Corky's automotive, and parking issues from multifamily housing.
  • Bob Seward (Lake Heights, since 1970) supported moving forward with the plan to allow redevelopment of the shopping center, noting it has declined.
  • Maria Mattson (Newport Hills, 22 years) read suggested policies from the Crossroads plan to include in Newport, such as placemaking, business district organization, and retention of small businesses.
  • Don Woodworth (Bellevue resident since 1964) highlighted traffic congestion on Coal Creek Parkway, noting long delays at lights and school flaggers.
  • A final speaker (born and raised in Newport Hills) supported redevelopment of the community center to attract higher-quality tenants and increase housing stock.

Discussion Items

• Newport Neighborhood Area Plan (NAP):

  • Staff presented the plan, scope, decision criteria, and engagement summary. They noted 289 questionnaires returned, over 1,500 unique website visitors, and 200 providing comments.
  • Staff responded to previous commission feedback: they added a parallel demographic section, updated sidebars, and made changes to policies NP2, NP8, NP9, NP10, NP20, NP22, NP30, and NP35. They recommended not adding an energy resilience policy (best handled citywide) and not changing NP5-6, NP15-16.
  • Commissioners discussed the importance of the neighborhood center, community engagement, and inconsistencies with Crossroads policies. Commissioner Ferris suggested strengthening language around the commercial district. Commissioner Liu noted 37 policies, 10 related to commercial/public space, and only one encouraging housing.
  • The commission voted to adopt the plan as amended. Amendments included:
    • NP1: Added "anchored by its commercial district" to the identity statement (passed 3-1, Vice Chair Liu dissenting).
    • NP12: Changed to "encourage the construction of multifamily housing and mixed use development within the neighborhood center" (passed 3-1, Vice Chair Liu dissenting).
    • NP27: Added language to enhance pedestrian access and parking for parks adjacent to school district property (passed 3-1, Vice Chair Liu dissenting).
    • NP8: Changed "locate" to "place" (passed unanimously).
    • NP30: Changed "enhance" to "improve" pedestrian and bicycle facilities (passed unanimously).
    • NP10: Removed "to the extent possible" (passed unanimously).
  • The motion to recommend the NAP as amended to City Council passed unanimously.

• Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) Study Session:

  • Staff presented the first full draft of the revised CAO, focusing on key changes: simplifying developed/undeveloped site definitions, standardizing structure setbacks to 20 feet, updating stream typing and wetland buffers, adding performance-based options for stream daylighting and meandering streams, removing density limits, and simplifying reasonable use exceptions (RUE) to allow up to two dwelling units.
  • Commission discussion centered on performance-based design. Commissioner Bellavasis advocated for a performance-based option for urban streams (e.g., Bell Red) to allow restoration and development, noting that current prescriptive buffers may block redevelopment near light rail. Staff (Riley Pittman, Dan Nickel) explained that performance-based approaches are difficult to administer and ensure no net loss, but acknowledged potential for incentive-based approaches for degraded sites.
  • Commissioner Nilchan asked about expanding RUEs beyond two units. Staff said it would allow more units within the same disturbance footprint.
  • Commissioner Liu suggested scoping performance-based design to commercial sites (where 20% of permits occur) to balance uniformity and restoration potential.
  • Chair Conlu raised questions about monitoring of environmental impacts and requested benchmarks or best practices from other cities. Staff noted that monitoring is required for five years on site-specific projects, and cumulative studies may exist.
  • The commission directed staff to explore bringing back the definition of urban streams and developing performance-based provisions for degraded urban areas, particularly for Bell Red, and to report back at the September 24 study session.

Key Outcomes

• Newport Neighborhood Area Plan: The commission voted to recommend the plan to City Council with several amendments (as detailed above). The motion passed unanimously. The plan will now go to the City Council for final adoption.
• Critical Areas Ordinance: The commission provided direction to staff to continue refining the draft, including exploring performance-based design options for urban streams and degraded sites, and to return for a study session on September 24, 2025, with a public hearing anticipated in October 2025.
• Election: Chair Conlu and Vice Chair Liu were elected for the upcoming term.
• Meeting extended: The meeting was extended to 10:30 PM to accommodate the CAO study session.