Bellevue City Council Meeting Summary: November 25, 2025
Bellevue City Council Meeting Summary: November 25, 2025
The Bellevue City Council convened on November 25, 2025, to address public safety concerns regarding speeding traffic, approve reappointments to the Convention Center Authority, and deliberate on significant zoning and parking policy changes for Old Bellevue and the urban core. The meeting featured extensive community testimony, primarily from residents of the Vassa and Garden neighborhoods, who expressed urgent support for the installation of speed safety cameras and the preservation of historic character in Old Bellevue.
Consent Calendar
- Approved Council Agenda.
- Approved reappointment of Ron Hoffalina and Kawasaki Romero to the Bellevue Convention Center Authority for four-year terms starting January 1, 2026.
- Approved the release of a public utility easement at 707 96th Avenue Northeast to allow for the subdivision of a single-family lot into two parcels (Ordinance 6890).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Keith Swinson (Gardens of Town Square): Expressed full support for the City's transportation and public safety leadership. Strongly endorsed the identification of speed safety camera locations, specifically requesting installation at the corner of 11th Avenue NE and NE 10th Street to address speeding on a section of road carrying over 16,000 daily cars.
- Karen Armstead (Vassa Neighborhood): Representing residents with no sidewalks and narrow shoulders, she requested the placement of speed safety cameras on Southeast 34th Street and 164th Street. She highlighted the lack of safety infrastructure and the danger to children crossing the street for bus service.
- Anthony McKay (Old Bellevue Merchants Association): Expressed support for the city's development while advocating for measures to preserve the unique, walkable, boutique-oriented character of Old Bellevue to ensure local small businesses can thrive alongside new developments.
- Miriam Zanotti (Vassa Neighborhood): Expressed strong opposition to current street conditions and fear for children's safety due to cars traveling at 45-70 mph with no sidewalks. Supported the placement of cameras on 34th and 164th Streets and urged the implementation of speed bumps to protect the neighborhood.
- Katrina Romotowski (Respace): Expressed support for the proposed co-living housing land use code amendment. Highlighted the model's potential for affordability and wealth-building for long-time residents through shared ownership structures.
Discussion Items
- Winter Weather Preparedness: Staff presented an update on winter preparedness, noting a transition from El Niño to La Niña weather patterns. The Transportation Department showcased the implementation of RouteWare's smart city application for enhanced dispatch and real-time communication with plow operators.
- Appeal of Exclusion: The Council considered an appeal by Mr. Zimmerman regarding a notice of exclusion issued by the Mayor. Council voted unanimously to deny the appeal, citing disruption to the meeting, and Mr. Zimmerman was escorted from the chamber.
- Old Bellevue Character Preservation (Council Business Item 7B): Mayor Robinson proposed a Temporary Interim Official Control (IOC) to preserve the character of Old Bellevue on Main Street, authorizing staff to work beyond the standard eight-hour limit to draft a recommendation. Councilmembers expressed support for the goal but raised concerns about the urgency and the process, specifically regarding the lack of prior stakeholder engagement. Council voted to authorize staff to exceed the eight-hour limit and explore a temporary IOC to create a placeholder requirement while a permanent solution is developed.
- Co-Living Housing LUCA (Public Hearing): Staff recommended adoption of Ordinance 6891 to comply with state mandate House Bill 1998. The ordinance allows co-living units in areas with six or more multifamily units, sets density standards, and aligns with existing residential codes. Council members discussed the need for operational standards and management incentives but found the state mandate required the code adoption.
- Speed Safety Camera Program Expansion (Study Session): Staff recommended expanding the speed safety camera program to 2026, seeking approval for seven initial locations based on a data-driven safety and equity analysis. Locations include high-risk corridors and areas frequently requested by the public. Council discussed revenue reinvestment into safety projects, data privacy protections, and the deployment of a six-month warning period before citations are issued.
- Curbside Pricing Study (Study Session): Staff presented findings from a study recommending a paid on-street parking program in Downtown, Wilburton, and Bellevue Ridge to improve access and turnover. The proposal includes demand-based pricing, expanded enforcement, and a revenue model projecting net proceeds to fund curb management improvements. Council discussed equity concerns, employee parking, and potential collaborations with private parking garages (e.g., Bellevue Collection).
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Deny Appeal: Council unanimously denied the appeal of the notice of exclusion issued to Alex Zimmerman.
- Easement Release: Adopted Ordinance 6890 to release a portion of the public utility easement at 707 96th Avenue Northeast.
- Co-Living Adoption: Adopted Ordinance 6891 to amend the Land Use Code and establish requirements for co-living housing to comply with state law.
- Old Bellevue Authorization: Motion carried to authorize staff to exceed the eight-hour work limit and prepare a recommendation for a Temporary Interim Official Control and a permanent work program to preserve the character of Old Bellevue.
- Speed Camera Direction: Council directed staff to finalize the City Code Amendment ordinance and a resolution approving seven specific locations for speed safety cameras in 2026, with final action scheduled for a future meeting.
- Curbside Pricing Direction: Council directed staff to proceed with administrative tasks to develop ordinances for a paid on-street parking program in the urban core neighborhoods, with code amendments to be brought back to the Council in early 2026.
Meeting Transcript
The Bellevue City Council meeting for November twenty-fifth, two thousand twenty five. Um, Councilmember Claire Suma DeWerria is in DC today, uh, representing the City of Bellevue, so she is participating remotely. Um we have a roll call, please. Thank you, Mayor Robinson. Here. Deputy Mayor Malikuti. Councilmember Barkaba. Councilmember Hamilton. Here. Councilmember Lee. Here. Councilmember Neumann House. Here. Councilmember Sumatoria. Thank you. Councilmember Hamilton, can you lead us in the flag salute, please? Please stand if you're able. I play the leadership. One nation. Do you have a motion to approve the agenda? I move to approve the agenda amended to add an item under council business as item 7B to discuss a proposal by Mayor Robinson. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? Great. City Clerk, do we have anybody signed up for oral communications? Yes, thank you, Mayor. This evening there are four pre-registered speakers. So before I start calling names, I'll go over a few of the rules that the council has in place. So oral communications is for a period of no more than 30 minutes, and all topics must relate to City of Bellevue government. Excuse me. One also additional reminder we have two public hearings on tonight's agenda. So if you are intending to speak on the public hearing, you'll need to wait. And if you did sign up for oral communications, uh we have moved you appropriately to the public hearing. Oh, excuse me, Mayor Robinson, members of council. My name is Keith Swinson. I reside with my wife Dixie at the Gardens of Town Square, a senior living center located at 933 11th Avenue Northeast here in downtown Bellevue. I see a couple of head shakes. You've seen it. I'm not going to uh uh embarrass you or bore you by reading that letter, certainly. I would like to call attention to a couple of important points. I see the timing up there. I'm going to slip through these very quickly. Uh as I mentioned to you and uh my testimony in the 22nd of July. Uh we serely sincerely appreciate your leadership and highly professional work in the transportation and public safety uh and that work of the uh transportation and public safety personnel. Uh we are here in favor of the actions of uh that you've taken and your staff taken. We strongly endorse the identification or identified location of speed safety cameras, and particularly at the corner of 1111th Avenue and Northeast 10th Street, diagonally across from our residents at the gardens. We reported our committee's uh actions to our monthly residential uh residence council meeting at November on November 13th. Uh we introduced a motion uh some essentially uh saying that your work was outstanding and we approved of the proposals. Uh that put motion was passed unanimously. We have a membership there uh of roughly 140 people.
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