Published June 27 2019
Plus, commission appointments and Bellevue Smart plan update
During Monday’s extended study session, the City Council approved the King County 2019 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan. The plan outlines goals and policies for managing solid waste throughout the county over the next six years. It includes recommendations on potential future disposal methods, new transfer facilities and even recycling goals.
The plan recommends siting and construction of a new Northeast recycling and transfer station. This would expand capacity if the 50-year-old Houghton Transfer Station is closed and would supplement the Factoria location. The plan also recommends maximizing the capacity of the Cedar Hills landfill to meet disposal needs through 2040.
The county anticipates sending a jointly-approved proposal to the state Department of Ecology for review by November.
More background can be found in the council agenda packet
Commission appointments
Earlier, councilmembers approved several commission appointments.
- Someireh Amirfaiz, Human Services Commission, Position 4
- Ted Mansfield, Human Services Commission, Position 7
- Lisa Leitner, Transportation Commission, Position 1
- Albert Ting, Transportation Commission, Position 2
The nomination of a fifth candidate, John Carlson, failed in a 2-3 vote. Councilmembers Conrad Lee and Jared Nieuwenhuis voted in favor, with Deputy Mayor Lynne Robinson and councilmembers John Stokes and Janice Zahn voting “no.”
Amirfaiz and Mansfield, were recommended by Human Services council liaison Robinson, and Leitner and Ting by Transportation council liaison Lee. All four terms will end in 2023.
Additional information is available at boards and commissions.
Bellevue Smart update
Finally, the council topped the evening with an update on the Bellevue Smart plan accomplishments related to connectivity. Notable highlights include:
- Wi-Fi: BellevueConnect, the city’s public Wi-Fi service, continues to be added to King County Housing Authority properties in Bellevue when feasible, to help address digital equity gaps for low-income families. The service is also added in the city’s parks when opportunities arise.
- Small Cell Wireless: The council adopted code amendments in January and March to allow small-cell wireless implementation on city-owned streetlights. Small-cell wireless is intended to improve wireless coverage and serve as a foundation for 5G wireless in the future.
- Three master license agreements have been signed with AT&T (February), Verizon (March) and Crown Castle (April).
- Small wireless facilities permitting materials are available on the city’s website.
- Carriers are finalizing streetlight pole engineering design with the city’s approved pole manufacturers.
- Regional partners: Bellevue continues working with regional partners to improve connectivity for public institutions serving people in Bellevue.
- Through the Community Connectivity Consortium (C3), Bellevue has collaborated with Bellevue College and the Bellevue School District to connect campuses and schools.
- Bellevue partners with the University of Washington to leverage its fiber network to connect the Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) campus in the Spring District with the University of Washington.
- Bellevue provides connectivity to UW medical clinics on Northup Way and in Factoria and to Overlake Medical Center and its downtown clinic.
More detailed information can be found in the agenda memo.