Published April 3 2025
Plus, Sumadiwirya sworn in, Sustainable Bellevue update, Vision Zero 2025 plan and potential annexation
Councilmember John Stokes, who’s been on the council since 2012 and served a term as mayor in 2016 and 2017, announced Tuesday that he is stepping down to focus on his family.
“My intent when I ran for a fourth term on the amazing city council in this great city was to serve until the end of the term Dec. 31, 2027, but you know in life things change,” Stokes said in the meeting. “My delightful daughter Genevieve had a baby girl a little over a month ago and I decided to move to Ballard where she’s been living.”
The council will convene an executive session at their April 15 meeting to consider the four finalists for the seat vacated by Councilmember Janice Zahn last week for the new open seat. The council appointed Claire Sumadiwirya, the fifth finalist, to Zahn’s seat in March.
The four to be considered now for Stokes’ seat are Vishal Bhargava, Eric Drever, Diala Ezzeddine and Jaskaran Singh Sarao. The person selected to fill Stokes’ seat will serve a term ending after certification of the November General Election.
The swearing in of Sumadiwirya and Stokes’ announcement can be viewed on the Bellevue Television replay of the meeting.
Sumadiwirya sworn in
Councilmember Claire Sumadiwirya, a Bellevue businesswoman heavily involved in civic causes, was sworn in and took her Position 5 seat on the dais Tuesday. Unless she chooses to run and is elected, Sumadiwirya will serve a partial term ending after certification of the general election in November.
Sustainable Bellevue Plan update
In other business, the council received an update on the 2021-2025 Sustainable Bellevue Plan. Significant progress has been made on 90% of the actions listed in the plan. The remaining 10% are either slated to begin this year or set to be re-strategized during this year’s plan update process. Results of the 2023 greenhouse gas emissions inventory released in January were also shared with the council, showing a communitywide emissions decrease of 8% from the 2011 baseline year – despite a 25% growth in population and a 26% increase in jobs during the same period.
City staff provided an overview of the progress made on the 2026-2030 plan update. Divided into three phases, the yearlong process is currently in its first phase, which includes reviewing plan goals, updating performance metrics for the annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory, assessing community priorities and climate change impacts in Bellevue and broadening public engagement with the plan update.
The full presentation is available on video replay.
Potential annexation of property in Cougar Mountain area
The council took a step toward annexation of 52 acres of county land Southeast of the city in the Cougar Mountain area. Councilmembers accepted a Notice of Intent to Petition for Annexation from property owners in Bellevue’s Potential Annexation Area. The annexation, potentially Bellevue’s last, would likely take more than a year. See details in the agenda materials.