Published July 16 2014
Also, climate collaboration, Wilburton subarea changes, other news
The City Council on Monday advanced several revisions to the draft Shoreline Management Program Update, which was recommended by the Planning Commission, and scheduled a public hearing on the document for August 4.
In crafting a revised SMP draft for the public to consider, councilmembers grappled with several sticky issues, including public access, park development, the high water mark, residential nonconformities, setbacks and buffers, vegetation conservation, critical areas, residential moorage and shoreline stabilization.
Work on updating the SMP, which was originally adopted in 1974 and has changed little since that time, began several years ago. Once the plan is adopted it will regulate the development and use of the citys shorelines. Council agenda materials
City to join countywide collaboration to tackle climate change
The council signaled its intention for Bellevue to join a group of King County cities that are working together to improve their collective environmental and economic performance.
The King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, or K4C for short, focuses on policies, programs and goals related to energy and transportation systems, green building, urban forestry and greenhouse gas emissions.
A primary reason for the councils support is so the city can have a "seat at the table" as cities respond to new countywide targets for greenhouse gas reductions.
Bellevue will pay a $2,500 annual fee to join K4C and dedicate staff time to the effort. The collaboration is voluntary and does not limit the citys authority in any way. Agenda materials
Land use code change, rezone in Wilburton area
Also on Monday the council amended the citys land use code for areas zoned Community Business within the Wilburton subarea, east of downtown. The change allows larger retail buildings of more than 100,000 square feet, and allows taller buildings of up to 75 feet within a specified area along 116th Avenue Northeast. A public hearing on the code change was held on June 23.
Mondays land use code amendment was anticipated in 2008 when plans for the Wilburton subarea were updated. A key component in the plan was the extension of Northeast Fourth Street, from 116th to 120th Avenue Northeast, a project that is currently under construction. Agenda materials
In a separate action that also involved the Wilburton area, the council unanimously approved a rezone for a five-acre property at the southeast corner of 116th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Fourth Street.
Previously, Target Corp. applied to rezone the property from a "general commercial" designation to a "community business" designation with the intent of building a new 150,000-square-foot store. However, on July 2 Target confirmed that it will not build the store, so the rezone application was transferred to the property owner, Bellevue 116th Avenue, LLC. Rezone agenda material
Arts Commission appointees
Becky Lewis and Carl Wolfteich were appointed to the citys Arts Commission. The four-year terms will conclude on May 31, 2018. Arts Commission web page