Published April 18 2018
On Monday night, the City Council was briefed on Bellevue’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) update. If it is adopted next month in conjunction with a public hearing, the city will not have to undertake another update for eight years. SMPs are local land-use policies and regulations that guide use of shorelines throughout the state and are reviewed by the Department of Ecology.
Bellevue has been working on a comprehensive update to its SMP since 2008. On June 1, 2017, the Department of Ecology conditionally approved the city’s updated version. In January, an agreement in principle was reached on how to address some final required changes. Earlier this month, the Department of Ecology sent a letter to the city encouraging the plan’s adoption.
The public hearing is scheduled during the council’s regular session meeting on May 7. The council could take action then or on May 21. Additional information on the SMP process can be found on the city’s website.
Puget Sound Energy electrical franchise briefing
The council’s study session also included a briefing on a new franchise agreement governing city rights of way and easements with Puget Sound Energy (PSE). The proposed agreement contains no significant changes from a major overhaul in 2003. During the discussion, the council agreed to consider adopting the renewed franchise agreement on May 7.
Most of the changes, which aim to address a variety of improvements, are contained in four memoranda of understanding (MOU). These cover issues related to: electrical reliability reporting, records of installation, relocation and vegetation management. A new MOU will cover the removal of obsolete utility poles.
The franchise agreement does not apply to private property where, for instance, substations may be located. Bellevue’s existing review processes provided in the Land Use Code are where the city and residents can provide input on new facilities. The agreement would also not apply to major projects such as Energize Eastside, since most of the facilities are located within PSE’s privately-owned easements. In those cases, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is the prime regulator.
More information is available in the council’s agenda materials.
Tree City USA award
Bellevue’s streak continues. Councilmembers took a moment on Monday to recognize Bellevue being named a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 27th year in a row. The award comes in advance of Arbor Day-Earth Day on Saturday, April 21. The community is often referred to as a “city in a park.”
You can read the full proclamation in the council agenda materials. More information on the city’s Arbor Day-Earth Day festival at Lewis Creek Park can be found in an earlier news release.