• The South Bellevue Segment includes construction of the Richards Creek substation and upgrading 3.3 miles (the Bellevue portion) of existing 115 kV transmission lines with 230 kV lines between the Lakeside substation and the southern city limits of Bellevue. The remainder of the south portion of the project continues through Newcastle, unincorporated King County, and Renton. Bellevue only has permitting authority for work proposed in its jurisdiction. 

    Permit Status

    The Conditional Use Permit (File # 17-120556-LB) and Critical Areas Land Use Permit (File # 17-120557-LO) for the South Bellevue Segment have been issued, and the city’s land use approvals are now final.

    Following a challenge in King County Superior Court, the court affirmed the city’s approval of the conditional use permit, and determined that the environmental review conducted by the partner jurisdictions for PSE’s proposal complied with the State Environmental Policy Act, chapter 43.21C RCW.

    Over the course there have been many opportunities to participate in the city’s review of Puget Sound Energy's proposed Energize Eastside project. 

    The public meeting, held on November 14, provided an early opportunity for the public to receive information regarding PSE's application, and to get information about the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Critical Areas Land Use Permit (CALUP) process. The land use permit process typically takes between six and nine months, but can take longer in the case of complex projects such as this proposal. The public had many meaningful opportunities to provide formal written comment on PSE’s application during this time, as described more fully below.

    If you provided comments on the Draft EIS, those comments are being addressed separately through the EIS process. The Final EIS contains responses to the comments that the city received on the Draft EIS.

    Please note that prior submission of comments concerning the Draft EIS during the EIS comment periods does not automatically make the EIS commenter a party of record regarding the city’s subsequent review of PSE’s specific CUP and CALUP applications. Individuals or groups who wished to comment on PSE’s permit applications needed to submit comments and contact information (i.e., your name and address) to be a party of record for the CUP/CALUP applications.

    • At the Public Meeting

    The city held its first required public meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2017. Unlike the EIS meetings, the primary purpose of this meeting was not to take public comment. The public meeting provided an opportunity for city staff to explain the permit process and provided an opportunity for the applicant, PSE, to describe the proposed project to interested parties. Because this meeting happens early in the land use process, city staff do not expect attendees to be prepared to provide formal comments on the project application at this point in the process.

    However, although the primary purpose of the public meeting was to provide information to interested parties, individuals and groups who attended the meeting were nonetheless provided with an opportunity to provide written comments on PSE’s applications as part of the meeting. Comment forms were provided at the meeting, and as city staff explained, any interested party who wished to include comments in the record was encouraged to submit the comment in writing to city staff and include the party’s name and address on the comment form. Verbal comments made at the public meeting, that were not also provided in writing, will not be considered formal comments as part of the record for PSE’s permit applications.

    • During the Permit Review Process

    Comments were welcome throughout the review process and have been accepted up until staff prepared Director’s decision and recommendation to the hearing examiner.

    • At the Public Hearing

    Finally, comments were received by the city’s hearing examiner during the required public hearing on Thursday, March 28.

    Public Hearing

    A CUP is a Process I land use decision. A Process I land use decision is a quasi-judicial decision issued by the Hearing Examiner following the recommendation of the Director and input received at the required public hearing.

    The City of Bellevue’s Hearing Examiner held a public hearing beginning on:

    Thursday, March 28, 2019
    Bellevue City Hall Council Chambers 1E-126
    Beginning at 6 p.m.

    The hearing examiner held a prehearing conference on:

    Wednesday, February 13, 2019
    Bellevue City Hall Conference Room 1E-113.
    Beginning at 10:30 a.m.

    Listen to an audio recording of the conference.

    The decision of the Hearing Examiner on a Process I application is final unless appealed to the City Council. The City Council action deciding any appeal and approving, approving with modifications, or denying a project is the final City decision on a Process I application. A final decision by the City Council following a Process I appeal may be appealed to Superior Court (LUC 20.35.150.D).

    Second Informational Meeting

    Agenda and Presentation
    Thursday, September 6, 2018
    Bellevue City Hall
    6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

    This meeting* was another opportunity for residents and interested parties to learn about the proposed project and the permitting process. PSE provided a general overview of the project and Bellevue city staff provided more information about how to engage in the next steps of the process, including the public hearing. The meeting was similar in format to the meeting held in November, 2017.
     *Code required meeting per LUC 20.20.255.C1b Electrical Utility Facilities

    First Public Meeting

    Agenda and Presentation
    Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017
    6:30-9 p.m.
    South Bellevue Community Center
    Community Room
    14509 SE Newport Way

    The purpose of the meeting was to outline the permit process and have the applicant describe the proposed project to interested parties.

    FEIS available March 1, 2018

    The City of Bellevue along with their partner jurisdictions (Kirkland, Redmond, Newcastle and Renton) have completed preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for PSE's Energize Eastside proposal. The environmental impact statement is not a permit; it is one of many sets of information permitting agencies, such as the City of Bellevue, will consider as they decide whether to approve the project and issue necessary permits. No additional comment period is provided on the FEIS. Refer to the EIS project page for more information.

    Additional Information

    PSE offers detailed information about the Energize Eastside project.

    Visit the Energize Eastside Environmental Impact Statement website for information about the project's environmental review.

    Additional Information

    PSE offers detailed information about the Energize Eastside project.

    Visit the Energize Eastside Environmental Impact Statement website for information about the project's environmental review.