Bellevue, like all cities, is susceptible to a variety of different hazards, ranging from flooding and landslides to severe weather and earthquakes. While thinking of all the potential hazards can feel daunting, it is important to take steps now to help mitigate the impact of these disasters in the future. To better prepare for hazards the City of Bellevue is developing a citywide Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). This plan will help the city assess risks, identify vulnerable areas and put in place actions that can be taken to help reduce or eliminate the impact of the hazard in a disaster. Having a completed HMP allows the city to apply for several federal and local grants, which can help fund mitigation measures, and assist in keeping people who live, work, play and study in Bellevue safe.
Current status
The city is currently in the process of reviewing feedback from the online open house and developing mitigation strategies that address some of the hazards identified as part of this process. Once the strategies have been developed, they will be included in the draft plan. This draft plan will be made available to the Bellevue community in early 2025 for review and an opportunity to provide additional input prior to submission to FEMA.
Proposed timeline
- Summer 2024:
- Identify vision statement, goals and objectives
- Plan maintenance strategy
- Risk assessment
- Summer- Fall 2024: Public involvement
- Sept. 23-Nov. 6: Online open house
- Fall 2024:
- Review findings from risk assessment and online open house
- Develop mitigation strategies
- Winter 2024
- Finalize mitigation strategies
- Draft plan
- Share draft plan with Bellevue residents for review and feedback
- Spring 2025
- Finalize draft plan
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) review
- Proposed adoption by council
How to get involved
The planning process is being led by a Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee. Currently, the steering committee’s monthly meetings have been put on hold while individual teams develop mitigation strategies that are responsive to the hazards identified in the risk assessment. Once those strategies have been developed, they will be integrated into the draft plan, which will be shared with the Bellevue community for comment.
When the plan has been drafted, this page will be updated to reflect opportunities for public engagement and feedback.
Hazard mitigation overview
Hazard mitigation is a crucial part of emergency management. Mitigation is the act of reducing or avoiding the impacts of disasters, including risk to life and property. Mitigation can keep natural hazards from having catastrophic impacts, which helps communities recover more quickly after a disaster occurs. Some examples of mitigation strategies include seismic retrofit of buildings and bridges, redundancy of water systems and fuel systems, and tree planting to reduce heat in urban areas.
A hazard mitigation plan forms the foundation of a community’s long-term strategy to reduce losses caused by disasters and break the cycle of damage and reconstruction. Through the process of creating this plan, the city will identify hazards, assess risks and develop mitigation strategies.
Bellevue’s first plan was developed in 2007 and adopted in 2008 as an annex to the King County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The current work will be the first update to Bellevue’s hazard mitigation plan since 2009. It is being funded by a $190,000 grant from FEMA.
Materials and background information
- December 4, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda
- November 6, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, meeting summary
- October 2, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, meeting summary
- September 4, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, meeting summary
- August 7, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, FEMA lifelines subcategories, meeting summary.
- July 10, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, presentation, meeting summary
- June 5, 2024 Steering Committee meeting: Agenda, presentation, meeting summary, ground rules
- Washington State Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan
- King County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan
Emergency Management
For alternate formats, interpreters, or reasonable modification requests please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-6807 (voice) or email OEM@bellevuewa.gov. For complaints regarding modifications, contact the City of Bellevue ADA, Title VI, and Equal Opportunity Officer at ADATitleVI@bellevuewa.gov.
The City of Bellevue assures that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise discriminated against under any City of Bellevue program or activity. Any person who believes their Title VI protection has been violated may file a complaint with the City of Bellevue’s Human Resources Director. For additional information regarding Title VI complaint procedures and/or information regarding our non-discrimination obligations, please contact the City of Bellevue’s ADA, Title VI and Equal Opportunity Officer at ADATitleVI@bellevuewa.gov.