Published February 24 2016
Also, Willowmoor flooding prevention project and Land Use Code amendments for new projects
Councilmembers on Monday reviewed proposed changes to the city's parking code with an eye toward updating and simplifying the regulations.
During their presentation to the council, city staff emphasized that parking enforcement is important for a variety of safety reasons -- to discourage parking too close to intersections, crosswalks and driveways -- as well as for commerce, to keep Bellevue's system of free, on-street spaces and two-hour limit workable.
Staff also noted parking tickets issued in Bellevue, approximately 4,000 per year, are mostly for safety-related violations (nearly 3,000), rather than for overtime violations. Among the proposed amendments to the parking code are:
- Penalties for parking infractions: Currently, fines range from $23 to $40. Under the proposed ordinance, fines would be $40 across the board, conforming to requests from Bellevue District Court for more consistency. The new amount falls roughly in the middle compared with other local cities and King County;
- Adjusting for inflation: The revised code would streamline an existing provision to adjust penalty amounts for inflation every two years, based on the consumer price index, with the first CPI adjustment on Jan. 1, 2018. Parking penalties were last adjusted in 2008; and
- New regulations include: Vehicles with expired tags (more than 45 days) could be ticketed instead of impounded; no parking within 10 feet of mailboxes, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., on mail days; and a $250 penalty for misusing residential parking zone permits.
Councilmembers indicated general support for the changes and they are scheduled to vote on the parking code amendments at their March 7 meeting. If approved, the new regulations and penalties would officially begin on May 1.
More information about the proposed parking code changes is available.
Willowmoor project and Lake Sammamish flooding
Earlier, the council was briefed by King County staff on options being considered to meet multiple objectives for Lake Sammamish and its outlet to the Sammamish River, including flood control, salmon habitat improvements and less costly maintenance activities. Due to concerns voiced by residents about higher lake levels and the potential for flooding, the council has closely monitored the status of the county's management of the outlet.
County staff detailed three alternatives considered by a stakeholder advisory committee, which includes Bellevue lakeshore property owners, natural resource agencies, environmental interest groups, local businesses and representatives from the city's Utilities Department. The three proposals moving forward are to split the channel, widen it or continue with only current maintenance activities. According to King County staff, implementation of the project could occur in 2019.
Proposed Land Use Code amendments
Councilmembers also approved staff recommendations to begin work on Land Use Code amendments for three major developments. The projects include an Aegis Living senior housing building in the BelRed area, a pedestrian bridge connecting Lincoln Square 1 with the Lincoln Square 2 project under construction downtown and Overlake Hospital's master plan update. Monday's verbal vote to initiate the work for potential amendments does not imply future approval. Each proposal will be presented to the council for feedback and further action later this year.