Published February 15 2018
On Monday night, the City Council initiated a discussion on proposed approaches to implementing one of the actions included in Affordable Housing Strategy. The proposal, known as “Action C-1,” is aimed at increasing development potential of affordable housing on suitable public, nonprofit housing and faith-based owned properties.
C-1 was identified by the Technical Advisory Group as a “bold action.” Preliminary analysis estimates it could create between 200 and 1,000 new affordable homes over the next 10 years. There are 21 actions in the council-adopted Affordable Housing Strategy, which was also one of the council’s 2016-17 “vision priorities.”
During the briefing, two criteria were presented as a way to provide predictability for neighborhoods and affordable housing providers, while also restricting where the proposal could be applied. The potential approach would include requirements for ownership (public agency, nonprofit and faith-based institution), existing multi-family and commercial zoning (single family properties would not be eligible), and adjacent zoning (i.e. adjacent to properties with multi-family residential or commercial, and not surrounded by single family zoning).
Later in the discussion, councilmembers asked a number questions about the proposal. A follow-up briefing to address those clarifications and concerns will take place later this year. More information is available in the agenda materials.
Parks & Community Services Board appointments
The council unanimously appointed two new members to the city’s Parks & Community Services Board. David Hamilton will serve, beginning immediately, in the vacated Position 7 seat. In addition, Paul Clark will start his full term on June 1 in Position 3.
Learn more about the Parks & Community Services Board on the city’s website.
Next shelter discussion will take place on March 5
Mayor John Chelminiak announced that the council will begin the discussion for the permanent land use code regulations regarding homeless shelters on March 5. The focus of the meeting will be to discuss the process, public engagement opportunities and schedule to developed permanentregulations. The council unanimously approved interim regulations last year.
The mayoralso requested a compilation of information prepared to date on the seven publicly-owned sites that have been identified as potential locations for an Eastside men’s emergency shelter. Seven sites have been reviewed at different times since 2016, when discussion of the potential project began. The mayor indicated that this site report, which would gather existing information into a single document and may include limited updates on the current status of the locations, is not intended to prompt a siting discussion or choice. Rather, the intent is to provide context for discussing the development of a permanent land use code amendment.
More background on the shelter project is available on the city's website.
Retiring Civic Services Director Nora Johnson honored
Earlier in the meeting, councilmembers took a moment to recognize Nora Johnson for her distinguished 34 years of service as a city employee. Johnson is retiring at the end of this month. She has served as director of the Civic Services Department since 2008, when the department was first created. During her time with Bellevue, Johnson racked up a number of achievements including the oversight of the city’s green fleet and real estate portfolio, and the move to the new city hall building in 2006.
Johnson's full commendation can be found in the agenda packet materials.
Transportation, Utilities partner on W. Lake Sammamish projects
The council also heard an update on plans for the second phase of transportation improvements on West Lake Sammamish Parkway, an important arterial that connects Issaquah to Redmond through Bellevue.
Improvements will include: replacing the aging travel lanes; enhancing the shoulder on the roadway’s west side to create a 10-foot wide multi-purpose trail, with a landscaped buffer where space allows; and creating a consistent four-foot wide shoulder on the east side.
The transportation work will run 4,800 feet from the Southeast 200 block to the Northeast 800 block of WLSP. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2019 and wrap up in Spring 2020. The total project budget is $8 million.
The Transportation Department is collaborating closely with the Utilities Department, which must replace 11,000 feet of six-inch diameter concrete pipe that’s nearing the end of its useful life. It runs from 1730 WLSP Southeast to 670 WLSP Northeast. The Utilities project construction budget is $3.5 million.
Combining the pipeline replacement work and the roadway work into one project will minimize traffic impacts by shortening the overall time needed for construction. More information is available with the council agenda materials.
REMINDER: The Tuesday, Feb. 20 meeting has been cancelled due to anticipated absences by several councilmembers. The week of Feb. 19 is also the mid-winter break for the Bellevue School District in which there’s no school.