OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bellevue City Council Regular Meeting - July 28, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
BodyBellevue, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:36:34

Transcript — Verbatim
0:11

We can call the meeting in order.

0:14

And before we start the business of the meeting today, I would like to ask that we take a moment to address the tragic gun violence over the weekend at the Bight of Seattle event.

0:29

Three people lost their lives, and at least four more were injured, including a toddler.

0:38

This is an offsetting unnecessarily and unacceptable tragedy.

0:44

Tragedy that has forever altered the lives of many and created fear at a beloved regional event attended by hundreds of thousands, including many from right here in our own community.

1:18

Thank you for doing that with us.

1:20

Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone affected by this weekend's events.

1:26

I continue to have hope that we can work together to create a future where this type of strategy is not longer part of our lives.

1:39

And now I'm going to welcome you all for being here and for taking the time to engage in the work of our city.

1:54

Yes, thank you, Mayor Malikutian.

1:56

Here.

1:58

Councilmember Bargaba.

1:59

Here.

2:00

Councilmember Breyer.

2:01

Here.

2:01

Councilmember Newman House.

2:03

Here.

2:03

Councilmember Robinson.

2:04

Here.

2:05

Councilmember Suma Doworia.

2:07

Thank you.

2:07

Councilmember New Enhouse, would you please lead us in the flag salute?

2:12

Please rise in your remote.

2:19

And to the Republic for which it stands.

2:21

One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

2:30

Do I have a motion to approve the agenda?

2:33

I move to approve the agenda.

2:35

It's been moved by Deputy Mayor and seconded by Councilmember New Enhaus.

2:40

Any discussion.

2:42

All those in favor say aye.

2:44

Aye.

2:45

Any opposed.

2:46

The motion passes.

2:48

City Claire, are there any speakers signed up to provide oral communication?

2:54

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

2:55

This evening there are four pre-registered speakers.

2:58

So before I start calling names, I will go over a few uh comments and then a few of the rules.

3:03

The council does appreciate members of the public engaging and contributing their perspectives and supports everyone's right to express themselves.

3:10

Comments shared during oral communications represent the views of individuals and not necessarily the views of council members or the city.

3:18

Now, a few of the rules.

3:19

The total time for oral communications is for a period of no more than 30 minutes, and all topics must relate to City of Bellevue government.

3:27

People speaking to items on tonight's agenda will be called first, and then if time remains, people speaking to items not on tonight's agenda will be called.

3:47

Each speaker is allowed to speak up to three minutes, and only three speakers are allowed to speak to any one side of a particular topic.

4:01

No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate for election, and that includes one's own campaign.

4:08

People speaking on those topics will be asked to stop.

4:11

So with that, I'll call our first speaker who is Steve Kassner.

4:25

Mayor Mo, members of council, my name is Steve Kazner, the proud president of the Lake Hills Neighborhood Association.

4:32

It seems like I was just here yesterday, was back in February to talk to you about all the exciting things that were going to happen in Lake Hills.

5:00

But the real reason I'm here tonight is to thank each and every one of you who are supporting our neighborhood association in presence if you were able to come to the pitnic, working at the pitnic, or supporting the neighborhood association.

5:10

But a problem that only you guys can solve is all of the neighborhoods are desperately in need of new folks that you know that we don't know.

5:21

I've whined loudly to a few of you who are directly connected to Lake Hills.

5:28

But when I started doing this work 30 years ago, I was one of the youngest, but there were a group of us who got involved who are still involved.

5:37

Some of us you wish would quit being involved, but we cannot do that until such time is the 20, 30s, 40 year olds.

5:47

I mean, last year, nine of the people who worked very hard for Lake Hills were over 70.

5:54

Um they still want to do our bodies cannot do it anymore.

5:59

So in working with the city and the people that you know who invited all of you or elected all of you to be here, please send them to the neighborhood associations that exist, of which there are many.

6:14

There are still neighborhoods that are not represented because there aren't any people to build association on top of.

6:31

So great neighborhoods is coming to Lake Hills.

6:35

Some of you are on our neighborhood walk.

6:37

I met a lot of young families that I didn't know, which was fun, and we've created a place where people can come to our We Are Lake Hills website and email the website.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement████████████████████████24%
Land Use and Zoning█████████████████17%
Economic Development████████████12%
Technology and Innovation█████████9%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████8%
Procedural██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Public Engagement█████5%
Immigrant and Refugee Services█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Bellevue City Council Regular Meeting - July 28, 2026

The Bellevue City Council met on July 28, 2026, starting at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting began with a moment of silence for the tragic shooting at the Bite of Seattle event over the weekend, where three people died and at least four were injured, including a toddler. The Council approved a consent calendar, held a public hearing on a detention center moratorium, received updates on Development Services and the Great Neighborhoods program, and adopted five omnibus land use code amendments.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes of July 14, 2026.
  • RES 10657: Authorized purchase of one Vactor combination catch basin cleaner truck for up to $737,002.79 plus taxes.
  • RES 10658: Authorized purchase of one Vactor Hydro Excavator truck for up to $731,776.45 plus taxes.
  • RES 10659: Adopted "Isan Park" as the name for the park at 11101 Main Street.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Steve Kassner (Lake Hills Neighborhood Association president) thanked the Council for supporting the neighborhood and urged the city to encourage younger residents (20s–40s) to join neighborhood associations.
  • Amina Condell requested a permit and licensing process for roosters in residential neighborhoods without HOAs, citing a neighbor who uses a rooster to harass others and creates rodent and fly problems.
  • Nava Carlisle (Bellevue Chamber of Commerce government affairs intern) acknowledged Development Services for processing over 8,200 permit applications and issuing nearly 7,800 permits in the first half of 2026. She praised first review performance improving from 72% to 82% and the use of AI tools to streamline processes.
  • Paul Rood complained that the city does not enforce noise ordinances for yard equipment, especially leaf blowers, which he measured at 81 decibels at the property line (400 times the limit). He requested a meeting to update noise regulations.
  • Alex Zimmerman (president of Send Up America) accused the city of being a "Nazi Gestapo" and raised several allegations, including that Mayor Robinson gave him a trespass order and that Mayor Moe uses a not-legal name on official documents.
  • Julie Cott criticized the missing middle housing development on her dead-end street, which will increase from 10 to 24 houses, and raised safety concerns about new bike lanes on Bel-Red Road that have removed turning lanes and created near head-on collisions. She requested staff follow-up.
  • Heidi Dean (online) congratulated Development Services but urged that the Great Neighborhoods surveys for Lake Hills and West Lake Sammamish should be multimodal, including car traffic concerns, unlike the Factoria and Eastgate surveys.

Public Hearing: Detention Center Moratorium

  • Guillermo Rivera (community organizer with D Side for All) thanked the Council for the one-year moratorium (Ordinance 6926) on detention centers but urged a permanent ban, citing ongoing ICE activity and family detentions in Bellevue. He called for a regional coordination center for immigrant communities.
  • Heather Kelly urged the Council to make the moratorium permanent and close any loopholes that could allow privately or federally operated detention centers. She argued Bellevue must not be complicit in cruel detention conditions.

Discussion Items

Development Services Activity and Continuous Improvement Update

  • Greg Schrader (Assistant Director) reported that permit activity remains high, with applications and issued permits near 2025 peaks. Permit timeline performance improved from 72% (2025) to 82% (2026) for first reviews meeting state shot clocks, surpassing the 80% target.
  • Jake Hesselgesser (Acting Director) presented the continuous improvement work plan, highlighting a consolidated review pilot that cut revision cycles for single-family permits, a partnership with Matrix Consulting Group for customer service training, and a public-facing dashboard to launch in Q3 2026.
  • Steph Collier (Program Manager) introduced the new Small Business Concierge Program, which proactively helps businesses with fewer than 25 employees and under $5 million annual revenue through pre-lease assistance and permitting. Early data shows six months of success, with examples like Taste Buds Kitchen (opening soon) and a bakery relocating from Budapest.
  • Jake Hesselgesser also reported on the GovStream AI project. The pilot for single-family building permits increased first-time application completeness from 22% to 67% (threefold improvement). The goal is to reduce permitting timelines from months to weeks or days.
  • Council praised the progress (moving from 72% to 82% on first review targets) and asked about metrics, equity in access, workforce training, AI scaling, and the impact of the Wilburton code changes (700 units now in building permit phase). Councilmember Robinson requested information on affordable units in Wilburton. Councilmember Smodaver asked about diversity in small business design, and Councilmember Newmanhouse questioned how feedback loops work, referencing the Taste Buds Kitchen case where a parking study issue was resolved.

Great Neighborhoods Program – Initiation of Lake Hills and West Lake Sammamish Neighborhood Area Plans

  • Tara Johnson (Planning Director) and Zachary Lukin (Senior Planner) presented the next phase of the Great Neighborhoods program, requesting Council direction to initiate comprehensive plan amendments for Lake Hills and West Lake Sammamish. The program aims to develop community-driven neighborhood area plans over four phases (Discover, Define, Refine, Adopt) focusing on neighborhood identity, mixed-use centers, community gathering spaces, mobility, environment, urban design, and land use.
  • Engagement strategies include partnerships with schools (Sammamish High School, Big Picture School), community organizations (Jubilee Reach, Hopelink, Youth Eastside Services), cultural outreach assistants, and use of a racial equity toolkit. Early engagement has already begun (e.g., staff attended the Lake Hills picnic).
  • Future iterations: Staff recommended updating only one neighborhood (Bridal Trails) in 2028–2029 due to capacity constraints from implementing state TOD legislation (House Bill 1491). Councilmember Newnhouse and others asked about maintaining a two-per-year cadence and ensuring equitable reach, especially to underserved communities like Spanish-speaking residents in Lake Hills.
  • Council expressed support and asked about metrics for success, public safety elements in surveys, and how the program can help neighborhood associations recruit new leaders. Councilmember Robinson requested a separate forum for neighborhoods to discuss missing middle housing (HB 1110) outside the Great Neighborhoods timeline.

Omnibus Land Use Code Amendments (Ordinances 6930–6934)

  • Nick Whipple (Code and Policy Director) presented the 2026 omnibus package, which includes clean-ups, state law compliance (multiple bills), and small policy changes. Key policy changes include: moving the SR1 (suburban residential) district from large-lot to suburban residential tree credit grouping, creating a fee-in-lieu option for residential projects in East Main (previously required on-site affordable housing performance), adding a new chapter for binding site plans, and other technical corrections.
  • Council discussed the tree code change, with Councilmember Newmanhouse asking for clarification. Nick Whipple explained that a site visit with concerned residents in Kelsey Creek area helped address misconceptions, noting critical areas code still protects stream buffers. Councilmember Bargaba and Robinson questioned the East Main fee-in-lieu change, noting the city had granted additional height in exchange for on-site performance. Staff said the on-site option remains and other incentives may be explored during the upcoming TOD bill implementation.
  • All five ordinances were adopted unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar approved unanimously.
  • Public hearing closed; no additional action taken on the moratorium at this time, but the hearing satisfied the 60-day requirement.
  • Motion passed to direct staff to initiate comprehensive plan amendments for Lake Hills and West Lake Sammamish neighborhood area plans in 2026–2027, and to confirm Bridal Trails for 2028–2029. (Vote: unanimous)
  • Ordinance 6930 (clean-up of Land Use Code) – adopted unanimously.
  • Ordinance 6931 (development regulations) – adopted unanimously.
  • Ordinance 6932 (environmental regulations) – adopted unanimously.
  • Ordinance 6933 (land use review procedures) – adopted unanimously.
  • Ordinance 6934 (development, amending Bellevue City Code chapters) – adopted unanimously.
  • Council encouraged staff to explore additional incentive tools for affordable housing in East Main and to provide a response to Councilmember Robinson regarding a forum for neighborhoods to discuss missing middle housing outside of the Great Neighborhoods program.

Meeting Transcript

We can call the meeting in order. And before we start the business of the meeting today, I would like to ask that we take a moment to address the tragic gun violence over the weekend at the Bight of Seattle event. Three people lost their lives, and at least four more were injured, including a toddler. This is an offsetting unnecessarily and unacceptable tragedy. Tragedy that has forever altered the lives of many and created fear at a beloved regional event attended by hundreds of thousands, including many from right here in our own community. Thank you for doing that with us. Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone affected by this weekend's events. I continue to have hope that we can work together to create a future where this type of strategy is not longer part of our lives. And now I'm going to welcome you all for being here and for taking the time to engage in the work of our city. Yes, thank you, Mayor Malikutian. Here. Councilmember Bargaba. Here. Councilmember Breyer. Here. Councilmember Newman House. Here. Councilmember Robinson. Here. Councilmember Suma Doworia. Thank you. Councilmember New Enhouse, would you please lead us in the flag salute? Please rise in your remote. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? I move to approve the agenda. It's been moved by Deputy Mayor and seconded by Councilmember New Enhaus. Any discussion. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed. The motion passes. City Claire, are there any speakers signed up to provide oral communication? Yes, thank you, Mayor. This evening there are four pre-registered speakers. So before I start calling names, I will go over a few uh comments and then a few of the rules. The council does appreciate members of the public engaging and contributing their perspectives and supports everyone's right to express themselves. Comments shared during oral communications represent the views of individuals and not necessarily the views of council members or the city. Now, a few of the rules. The total time for oral communications is for a period of no more than 30 minutes, and all topics must relate to City of Bellevue government. People speaking to items on tonight's agenda will be called first, and then if time remains, people speaking to items not on tonight's agenda will be called. Each speaker is allowed to speak up to three minutes, and only three speakers are allowed to speak to any one side of a particular topic. No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate for election, and that includes one's own campaign. People speaking on those topics will be asked to stop. So with that, I'll call our first speaker who is Steve Kassner. Mayor Mo, members of council, my name is Steve Kazner, the proud president of the Lake Hills Neighborhood Association. It seems like I was just here yesterday, was back in February to talk to you about all the exciting things that were going to happen in Lake Hills. But the real reason I'm here tonight is to thank each and every one of you who are supporting our neighborhood association in presence if you were able to come to the pitnic, working at the pitnic, or supporting the neighborhood association. But a problem that only you guys can solve is all of the neighborhoods are desperately in need of new folks that you know that we don't know.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com