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City of Bellevue, WA Development Services
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  7. Increased Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties LUCA

Increased Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties LUCA

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    Recent Code Amendments

    • ADU Three-Year Rule Removal
    • Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Reform LUCA
    • C-1 Affordable Housing Density Bonus
    • EBCC Sunset
    • Family Child Care Homes LUCA
    • Floodplain Regulations Update
    • Increased Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties LUCA
    • Micro-Apartments Land Use Code Amendment
    • Noise Code Update
    • Quasi-Judicial Land Use Code Amendment
    • Reduced Minimum Residential Parking Standards
    • Residential Occupancy Land Use Code Amendment
    • Shoreline Master Program and SEPA Conformance Amendments
    • Supportive and Emergency Housing Code Amendment
    • Unit Lot Subdivision

    This Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) will established criteria and procedures for certain properties owned by religious organizations and located in single family land use districts to be rezoned to permit permanently affordable multifamily housing. The project also included a city-sponsored rezone for the initial set of properties meeting the recommended criteria.

    Project Background

    In 2017, the Bellevue City Council adopted the Affordable Housing Strategy, which includes Action C-1 to "increase development potential on suitable land owned by public agencies, faith-based and non-profit housing entities for affordable housing." The City Council initiated work on Affordable Housing Strategy Action C-1 on July 20, 2020. On December 6, 2021, as a first step in implementing Action C-1, the council adopted a 50 percent density bonus for affordable housing developments meeting Action C-1 ownership criteria. 

    During the process, the council noted that some religious organizations' properties in single-family land use districts have location characteristics that could support higher densities and multifamily housing. They directed a second phase of work to further increase capacity for affordable housing on these properties through a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA), LUCA and rezone. 

    On December 12, 2022, the council adopted the CPA, which adds a note to the city's Future Land Use Map and two new Housing Element policies. These policies provide guidance on which single-family properties will be eligible for a rezone. 

    What Happened?

    On June 26, 2023, the council adopted Ordinance 6743 to amend Land Use Code (LUC) chapter 20.20.128 Affordable Housing to establish eligibility criteria, rezone procedures and criteria for determining the additional capacity available to eligible properties. Properties must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for a rezone:

    • Owned or controlled by a religious organization;
    • Located in a single-family land use district;
    • Located within 500 feet of a land use district where multifamily housing or commercial uses are permitted; and
    • Located on an arterial street or located with frequent transit service.

    Eligible properties can be rezoned adding an Affordable Housing (AH) Suffix to their existing land use district. The AH suffix indicates the multifamily land use district available for permanent multifamily affordable housing development. Each property's suffix will be determined based on multifamily land use districts located near the property. Development proposals not fulfilling all affordable housing requirements will be limited to the underlying single family land use district. The proposed AH suffixes and their corresponding multifamily land use districts are as follows:

    • AH-1: R-10
    • AH-2: R-15 
    • AH-3: R-20
    • AH-4: R-30

    On June 26, the council also adopted Ordinance 6744 rezoning 36 eligible sites consistent with the criteria established with the LUCA. If additional properties become eligible in the future, their owners will need to apply for a rezone. 

    Project Timeline

    Date Meeting or Action Taken Links
    1/31/2023 Public Information Session Presentation Materials
    2/8/2023 Planning Commission Study Session 1 Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
    3/8/2023 Planning Commission Study Session 2 Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
    4/12/2023 Planning Commission Public Hearing Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
    5/22/2023 City Council Study Session City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
    6/26/2023 City Council Action City Council Meeting Agenda Materials

     

    Project Documents

    • Ordinance No. 6743
    • Ordinance No. 6744

    Related Projects

    Increasing Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties

     

     

    Development Services

    Land Use
    Telephone
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    Hearing Impaired
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    Email
    landusereview@bellevuewa.gov
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    10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesdays

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