Published May 24 2024
Plus, updates on safe parking, the Eastgate housing campus and economic development work
On Tuesday evening, the City Council heard proposed amendments to the city’s land use code to update tree preservation, retention, replacement and protection provisions, as recommended by the city’s Planning Commission.
The city’s Environmental Stewardship Plan Action N.1.1 calls to review code provisions related to trees and develop updates for tree preservation. This would further support the achievement of a 40% tree canopy goal. The proposed land use code amendments related to trees would update several provisions to better support citywide tree canopy goals, including a new minimum tree density approach achieved through retention or new planting. This new approach is measured using “tree credits” and applies to development proposals.
Staff have been engaged in a comprehensive review of the land use code and city code since early 2023, and the code updates were reviewed by the Planning Commission at three meetings. The comprehensive review and update also includes updates to tree-related provisions in the city code, which will be presented at a future meeting. These provisions relate to permitting for tree removal not associated with development proposals and to code enforcement. Following discussion, the council directed staff to finalize the land use code amendments for final action at a future meeting. The full discussion is available on video replay through Bellevue Television.
Safe parking and Eastgate housing campus update
In other business, the council learned that 35 community members who are living in their vehicles, including 19 children, have been referred to the recently opened Safe Parking Pilot Program facility located on city-owned property in the Wilburton neighborhood.
The space includes a secure parking lot area and a nearby building for daytime use that has access to electricity, restrooms and kitchen facilities. The site also offers supportive services, through Bellevue-based human services agency and program operator 4 Tomorrow, to assist participants in finding more stable housing.
The program is open to people whose sole residence is currently their vehicle, with preference given to families with children. The site has been open since late April and now houses six families, with space for up to 20 vehicles at a time. Five additional families are in the midst of completing the intake process and are receiving support from 4 Tomorrow and Bellevue’s Homelessness Outreach Team. Case management staff at the facility report that they’ve already been able to connect one of the families with stable indoor housing options this month.
In a separate but related update, the council received a briefing on the Eastgate housing campus, a unique partnership between housing and shelter providers. A large apartment complex called Polaris at Eastgate contains more than 300 units of affordable workforce housing. The first phase opened in March with the second expected to welcome residents in June. This housing option has rents affordable to households earning 30-60% of area median income.
The site also includes the permanent location for the Porchlight men’s shelter, which has 100 beds, a day center, kitchen serving three meals a day, and case management services. Porchlight’s shelter is consistently at capacity and has supported more than 450 men here since opening last summer.
The third organization, Plymouth Crossing, provides 92 apartments of permanent supportive housing for single adults who were formerly experiencing chronic homelessness. Plymouth Crossing also offers on-site behavioral health clinic and nursing services, funded by the City’s Housing Stability Program.
More details are available in the meeting materials for the safe parking update and the housing campus update.
Economic development focus on business districts
In the cultural and economic development quarterly update, councilmembers received information on current market trends including the area’s unemployment rate, which remains below the historical average, and positive commercial office activity in the Downtown and Eastgate neighborhoods. Tourism has grown in the last year, and the city is preparing for the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2026 through regional coordination.
The council was updated on current efforts to support business districts in the Downtown, BelRed, Spring District and Old Bellevue commercial areas through capacity building, technical assistance with navigating city processes, involving districts in city projects and policy development, and providing grants and supportive services.
Councilmembers voted unanimously to have the city engage with partners and business leaders in the Crossroads, Factoria and Wilburton neighborhoods to establish business districts in these areas with the goal of improving customer experience and business longevity. They also expressed support for further supporting business vitality in the Eastgate area. More information is available in the meeting materials.