East Main Transit Oriented District

This Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) established transit-oriented development standards, design guidelines, and requirements for the East Main Transit Oriented District (TOD). The East Main TOD is approximately 60 acres in size and abuts the southeast corner of Downtown, the East Link light rail East Main station and Surrey Downs neighborhood to the west, Interstate 405 to the east and Mercer Slough to the south. 

What happened?

In May 2019, the City Council adopted the East Main Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) through Ordinance No. 6465. The CPA advanced Council's 2035 vision for the East Main Station Area through targeted goals and policies, including establishing this area as a TOD district. These goals and policies included creating a vibrant people-oriented transit station area, distinct yet complementary to Downtown, that would leverage Bellevue's investment in East Link. 

On Dec. 13, 2021 the City Council unanimously adopted a package of code amendments to implement the 2035 vision for East Main. Ordinance No. 6627 ("LUCA") created a new Part 20.25Q in the Land Use Code (LUC) to establish requirements, standards and design guidelines for land uses, height and form, Floor Area Ratio (FAR or density), the amenity system, landscaping, parking, street and pedestrian circulation, pedestrian bridge, and other development elements. 

The city's zoning maps were updated to include two new Land Use Districts for East Main to implement the LUCA.