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Record of Proceedings

Bellevue City Council Regular Meeting - October 27, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, October 27, 2026
BodyBellevue, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 27, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:26:14

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

That you are engaged in the work of our city and your voice matters, and we are happy to see you

Unassigned speaker

0:06

here.

Speaker 1

0:10

With that, City Clerk, can you please do the roll call?

Unassigned speaker

0:14

Thank

Speaker 2

0:14

you.

0:14

Mayor Malikuti.

0:15

Deputy Mayor Hamilton.

0:17

Here.

0:17

Councilmember Barkova.

0:18

Councilmember Breyer.

0:20

Councilmember Newman House.

0:21

Councilmember Robinson.

0:23

And Councilmember Simon DeVoria.

Speaker 1

0:25

Thank you.

0:26

Thank you.

0:27

Deputy Mayor Hamilton, would you please lead us in the flag?

0:30

Salute.

Speaker 3

0:31

Yes.

0:31

Please rise if you're able.

Unassigned speaker

0:33

I

Speaker 4

0:33

play the flag

Unassigned speaker

0:36

of

Speaker 4

0:36

the United States of America.

0:43

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Speaker 1

0:49

Do I have a motion to approve the agenda?

0:52

I move to approve the agenda.

0:54

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

0:59

Any discussion?

1:01

All those in favor say aye.

1:03

Aye.

1:03

Any opposed?

1:05

The motion passes.

1:06

City Clerk, we are

Unassigned speaker

1:07

all to

Speaker 1

1:09

you looking at you for the oral communication.

Speaker 2

1:12

So early.

1:13

Okay.

1:14

So thank you, Mayor.

1:16

Before I start calling names, I just want to make a couple of comments and then I'll go over some of the rules.

1:21

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

1:28

However, I want to mention that comments shared during oral communications represent the views of the individual speakers and not and may not align with those of the city council or the city.

1:38

The total time for oral communications is for a period of not more than 30 minutes, and all topics must relate to City of Bellevue government.

1:46

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.

1:54

The presiding officer is authorized in both of those categories to give preference to those who have not spoken to council within the last 60 days or who may be speaking on topics that will come in front of the council within the next 60 days.

2:07

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

2:17

Also want to make a reminder that in compliance with Washington state campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during elections.

2:24

No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate, and anyone beginning to speak on those topics will be asked to stop.

Speaker 1

3:21

Welcome.

Unassigned speaker

3:27

Good evening.

Unassigned speaker

3:28

Um mayor and the city council members.

Unassigned speaker

3:30

Thank you for giving me the overview.

Speaker 5

3:34

Next to the proposed Maidenbauer South Reservoir Project, the main water pipe actually goes through my property to feed water to downtown POV here.

3:44

So I understand that this readable is very important to Bellevue's water infrastructure.

3:49

I'm here to ask the city council to consider the neighbors around the readable and protect the nature uh character of this site as much as possible.

4:00

For my family and our neighbors, this property is more than just a vacant land.

4:05

It is a place where we work our dogs, enjoy nature, watch wider life, applicable view, and fund peace and quiet in our daily lives.

4:14

These things may seem very small, but they make a real difference in our quality of life.

4:20

We understand that many changes are unavoidable, but we ask the city to preserve existing trace and the vegetations whenever possible, maintain open grassy areas, and restore the site with natural looking landscaping that brings into the neighborhood.

4:43

For nearly past two decades, this property was barely maintained.

4:48

We do not want the same thing to happen again after the reasonable is being built.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety█████████████████████21%
Procedural██████6%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Community Engagement██████6%
Economic Development██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Public Engagement█████5%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Public Transportation█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Bellevue City Council Regular Meeting - October 27, 2026

The Bellevue City Council held a regular meeting on October 27, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included oral communications from the public, approval of the consent calendar, and a third public hearing on the Preliminary 2027-2028 Operating Budget and 2027-2032 Capital Improvement Program Plan. Approximately 45 speakers provided testimony during the public hearing, with additional comments during oral communications.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (motion by Deputy Mayor Hamilton, second by Councilmember Newenhouse). Items included:
    • Minutes of October 13, 2026
    • Resolution 10675: Declaring a water easement at 12505 NE Bellevue-Redmond Rd as surplus and setting a public hearing.
    • Resolution 10676: Declaring a portion of a utility easement at 15503 SE 27th Street as surplus and setting a public hearing.
    • Resolution 10677: Authorizing Amendment 1 to a professional services agreement with Yates, Wood & MacDonald, Inc., increasing the contract by $350,000 to a total not-to-exceed $1,600,000 and extending it two years for property management at Bayvue Village Apartments.
    • Resolution 10678: Authorizing a contract amendment with ARC Architects for $301,710 (total $2,008,805) for architectural and engineering services for the new Park Operations Facility.

Public Comments & Testimony

Oral Communications (prior to public hearing):

  • Multiple residents spoke about the proposed Maidenbauer South Reservoir Project at 96th Avenue and SE 7th. They expressed concerns about preserving the natural character of the site, long-term maintenance, and resident access during construction. Speakers requested the city preserve existing trees and vegetation, maintain open grassy areas, and commit to regular maintenance and a clear traffic management plan.
  • A representative from a Venture Crew (scouting) requested permission to sell hot cocoa during Snowflake Lane as a fundraiser to support youth activities.
  • Matthew Sadowski, a golfer, requested that the city reinvest approximately $1.2 million (about 2% of the $60.5 million Park Operations Facility budget) into the Bellevue Golf Course, improve landscaping around new buildings, and engage the golfing community.
  • Joe Kunzler urged the council to amend the legislative agenda to prevent individuals using an insanity defense from running for elected office, referencing a recent case.
  • Kamal Gala requested a non-parking zone near Southeast 42nd Lane to improve visibility and safety for senior residents.
  • Julie Copp opposed the state's middle housing land use code, stating it has led to overdevelopment and loss of tree canopy in her neighborhood without affordable outcomes.
  • Alex Zimmerman made extensive allegations against the council, claiming criminal behavior and misuse of power, and accused the city of fascism and genocide.

Public Hearing on Preliminary 2027-2028 Operating Budget and 2027-2032 CIP:

  • Grand Connection Crossing: Multiple speakers expressed strong support, including Patrick Bannon (President/CEO, Bellevue Downtown Association), Sarah Langton (Executive Director, Friends of the Grand Connection), Tony Sprague (Bellevue Chamber), Linda Hofner (Vice President/General Manager of Spring District), Heather Trescas (former Parks Board Chair), and Brendan Lawrence (senior development manager, Ani Group). They cited economic benefits, regional connectivity, and the project's role as a generational legacy. David Bonnetin and Ann Coughlin expressed concerns about cost ($150–200 million) and priority, questioning whether it should be funded before neighborhood safety and traffic improvements.
  • Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and Sales Tax Increase: Kevin Wallace, Sheldon Apperman (partner/CFO, Mass Timber Development), and others supported the TBD with conditions from the Bellevue Chamber. Patty Mann, Barbara Braun (People for Climate Action), Heidi Dean, Ed Sun, Loretta Lopez, and others opposed the tax increase, arguing residents should vote on it and that the survey results do not support raising taxes for bicycle/pedestrian projects over congestion relief.
  • Climate Action and Building Decarbonization: Multiple speakers from People for Climate Action (including Tracy Cook Lee, Alice Ming, Cameron Barajas, Michael Lee, Lavanya V) urged increased funding for Energy Smart East Side (requesting $6 million over two years), launching programs for small commercial and multifamily buildings, and restoring sustainability staff. They noted that current emissions reductions are only 4.2% below 2011 levels, far short of targets. Todd Myers (Washington Policy Center) proposed reallocating funds to more cost-effective CO2 reduction projects.
  • Bellevue Farmers Market Funding: Barbara Hughes (President), Jermaine Fitzgerald (employee), Phyllis White (volunteer), Ilana Tracy, and Pinda Basley requested $50,000 over two years to support the market, citing its role in community health, food access, and small business growth.
  • Spring Boulevard Extension (Zone 3): Alex Cotton, Valentina Veneva, Caleb Lee (environmental scientist), and Ben Mickle opposed the $75 million arterial road through Bell Red Park, advocating for a multi-use trail instead, citing environmental harm to Kelsey Creek and wetlands, and the need for safety projects like crosswalks.
  • Housing and Homelessness: Sarah Dickmeyer (Plymouth Housing) supported proposed investments in housing and homelessness programs, noting that one-third of Bellevue households are cost-burdened.
  • General Fiscal Concerns: Warren Helverson and Pam Johnston questioned the 2.3 billion dollar budget increase over the previous cycle, the cost of the Grand Connection (over $200 million), and the impact on residents given rising water, energy, and tax rates. Nicole Myers raised concerns about revenue estimates and the lack of voter approval for the TBD.

Discussion Items

No study session or land use items were discussed. The meeting focused entirely on oral communications and the public hearing.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar approved unanimously with no discussion.
  • Public Hearing opened by motion (Deputy Mayor Hamilton, second Councilmember Bruyard) and closed after all speakers. No votes were taken on the budget or any proposals.
  • Mayor Malikouti thanked all speakers and acknowledged the difficulty of budget decisions, emphasizing that the council is listening and will use feedback to inform their choices.
  • The next step in the budget process is council deliberations with a target adoption date of November 17, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

That you are engaged in the work of our city and your voice matters, and we are happy to see you here. With that, City Clerk, can you please do the roll call? Thank you. Mayor Malikuti. Deputy Mayor Hamilton. Here. Councilmember Barkova. Councilmember Breyer. Councilmember Newman House. Councilmember Robinson. And Councilmember Simon DeVoria. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Hamilton, would you please lead us in the flag? Salute. Yes. Please rise if you're able. I play the flag of the United States of America. 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 Newenhouse. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion passes. City Clerk, we are all to you looking at you for the oral communication. So early. Okay. So thank you, Mayor. Before I start calling names, I just want to make a couple of comments and then I'll go over some of the rules. So the council does appreciate members of the public engaging and contributing their perspectives and supports everyone's right to express themselves. However, I want to mention that comments shared during oral communications represent the views of the individual speakers and not and may not align with those of the city council or the city. The total time for oral communications is for a period of not 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. The presiding officer is authorized in both of those categories to give preference to those who have not spoken to council within the last 60 days or who may be speaking on topics that will come in front of the council within the next 60 days. Each speaker is allowed up to three minutes to speak, and a maximum of three speakers are allowed to speak to any one side of a particular topic. Also want to make a reminder that in compliance with Washington state campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during elections. No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate, and anyone beginning to speak on those topics will be asked to stop. Welcome. Good evening. Um mayor and the city council members.

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