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148th Ave NE between NE 20th and Bel-Red Road is open

Utilities crews have completed repairs and restored water service after a water main break caused service disruption and a road closure. The road has reopened in all directions for the morning commute, and drivers should expect rough road conditions and active construction as permanent repairs are made during the next couple of weeks. City crews have placed warning signs in all four directions, alerting drivers to the uneven and bumpy road surface. Please use caution when traveling through the area. More info will be posted when available.

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City of Bellevue, WA Development Services
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Sign Code Update

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    Code Amendments

    • Recent Code Amendments
    • Critical Areas Ordinance Update
    • Housing Opportunities in Mixed-Use Areas Land Use Code Amendment
    • Middle Housing Code Amendments
    • Next Right Work
    • Sign Code Update

    The Sign Code Update is anticipated to be a complete rewrite of the existing sign code (BCC 22B.10). This update will bring the code into compliance with applicable case law, simplify and streamline regulations, and balance the needs and desires of the business community and residents. 

    Background

    In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Reed v. Town of Gilbert et al. that sign regulations must be content-neutral. This means that noncommercial signs of the same sign-type generally cannot be regulated differently based on their content. For example, within a specific location, a sign code cannot prohibit a temporary political sign while allowing a temporary directional sign to an event. Instead, the same standards must apply to all temporary signs, regardless of whether they display a political message or a directional arrow. This example illustrates why the City’s sign code must be updated to ensure requirements are content-neutral. 


    The last major update to the City’s Sign Code occurred in 2006. Since then, challenges in interpreting and applying the code have emerged, revealing ambiguities and outdated provisions. The sign code update project presents an opportunity to align the City’s regulations with relevant U.S. Supreme Court rulings while ensuring they meet the current needs of Bellevue and accommodate contemporary sign design and technology. This update aims to establish consistent, simplified, and streamlined standards that reflect the needs and desires of the community while reducing obstacles to application and understanding. 

    Opportunities to Engage

    Sign Code Questionnaire

    Help shape the future of signs in Bellevue! Share your thoughts on what matters most—visibility, design, community character, and more—by taking our quick questionnaire on the city’s sign code update. The questionnaire is anticipated to run through mid-June 2025, and the input gathered will be summarized and shared with the Bellevue City Council in a future check-in. The questionnaire is available in 8 different languages including English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Japanese and Vietnamese. 

    Project Timeline and Schedule

    DateMeeting, Event or Action TakenLinks
    8/6/2024City Council Study Session (Project Initiation)City Council Agenda Materials


     

    Development Services

    Charlie Engel
    Associate Planner

    Telephone
    425-452-6164
    Email
    cengel@bellevuewa.gov

    Reasonable Accommodation

    For alternate formats, interpreters, or reasonable modification requests please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-6800 (voice) or email servicefirst@bellevuewa.gov. For complaints regarding modifications, contact the City of Bellevue ADA, Title VI, and Equal Opportunity Officer at ADATitleVI@bellevuewa.gov.

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