Bellevue's Planning Commission reviews and proposes amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Using public input, it also makes recommendations to the City Council on proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Land Use (Zoning) Code. All other city boards and commissions coordinate their Comprehensive Plan and land use activities with the Planning Commission.
The commission also recommends and reviews studies of geographic subareas in the city. The commission does not review site-specific development proposals.
Meetings
The Planning Commission meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. and holds other special meetings as scheduled. Meetings are in Conference Room 1E-113 at City Hall and also on Zoom. the passcode is: 983801
All meetings, including study sessions and public hearings, are open to the public, and comments are always welcome. Comments received in writing or electronically sent to the Planning Commission email address, planningcommission@bellevuewa.gov will be provided to the commission at its next scheduled meeting. If you wish to make a comment at the meeting, please refer to the agenda.
Written comments will be included in the packet if received by 11 a.m. the Tuesday the week preceding the meeting. All other comments received by 11 a.m. the day of the meeting will be emailed to the commissioners before the meeting.
Public comments, including information such as email, mailing address and phone contact information sent to the Planning Commission email address is subject to public disclosure and may be included in the Planning Commission packet.
The sign-up for oral communications and public hearings will open at noon the day of the meeting and close at 6 p.m.
Public Meeting Records
Find previous meeting minutes, agendas, packets, and other public meeting records on Legistar or Planning Commission Public Meeting Archive page.
Members
The Planning Commission is comprised of seven Bellevue residents appointed by the mayor with the concurrence of the City Council. Terms last four years and expire on May 31 of the last year of the term. No person can serve more than two consecutive full terms. If a commissioner is appointed to fill a partial term of less than two years, that commissioner is eligible to serve for an additional two full terms.
Deputy Mayor Mo Malakoutian is council liaison for the Planning Commission.
- Chair, Craighton Goeppele (second term expires 5/31/2027): Craighton Goeppele joined the Bellevue Planning Commission in 2021. He, his wife, Linda, and their three children, who all attended public high school in Bellevue, have lived in Bellevue since 1998. He has worked in Bellevue at TerraPower, an advanced nuclear energy company, as its General Counsel since 2013. He has practiced law for over 30 years in the U.S., Japan, and in Europe in various law firm and inhouse roles. Serving on the Planning Commission has been an ideal role, because it provides the opportunity to discuss and shape the future of our great city for decades to come, in terms of development, the public interest, environment, housing, and the overall livability in our city. He has served on several non-profit boards previously and earned his law degree from the University of Washington. He is excited about the future plans for the City of Bellevue and can't wait for the Grand Connection to be completed!
- Vice-Chair, Negin Khanloo （first term expires 5/31/2027）: Dr. Negin Khanloo is a Senior Program Manager and community advocate with over 20 years of experience in program management, process optimization, and technology operations across private, government, and non-profit sectors. With a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Sustainable Development, Dr. Khanloo has worked in more than 10 countries, bringing expertise in urban planning, environmental policy, and community resilience. As a Bellevue Planning Commissioner, she promotes inclusive, sustainable growth with a focus on affordable housing, green building, and smart-city technology. She is also a board member of Renewal Food Bank, supporting food security initiatives, and has championed environmental policies on the Bellevue Environmental Services Commission. Dr. Khanloo is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and enjoys skydiving, traveling, and volunteering.
- Member, Mariah Kennedy (first term expires 05/31/2026): Mariah Kennedy brings over 15 years of experience including strategic leadership in energy, infrastructure, and regulatory policy to her role on the Bellevue City Planning Commission. An attorney and global leader, she has served in key roles bringing innovative ideas and experience from the international law firm K&L Gates, local utility Puget Sound Energy and currently from Microsoft. A Bellevue resident for over a decade, Mariah, her husband, and two boys are incredibly thankful to be part of a wonderful community and regularly enjoy the parks, libraries, schools, businesses and neighborhoods this beautiful city has to offer. She volunteers at local schools and youth sports, lectures at graduate institutions, and teaches at the YMCA. She also sits on several boards contributing to positive infrastructure and planning initiatives. Her commitment to equity, safety, and innovation aligns with Bellevue’s vision for inclusive and forward-thinking urban development. As a Planning Commission member, she leverages her unique blend of legal, technical, and community experience to help shape a vibrant, sustainable future for the city.
- Member, Carolynn Ferris （second term expires 5/31/2027）: Carolynn Ferris is honored to serve on the Bellevue Planning Commission during this most important time in our City’s history. We are facing unprecedented growth in both the private and public sectors, and our land use policies have a significant impact on how the City responds to this growth. We need to provide support for business and industry even while ensuring that we remain a welcoming and diverse community for all citizens. Upon retirement from a large corporation, she began working as an Interim Executive Director for a number of nonprofit organizations in the Puget Sound. She is the past chair of Imagine Housing and continues to serve on its board. She also serves as President of Saint Andrews Lutheran Church and is proud of the fact that Saint Andrews will be the first site to develop an affordable housing project utilizing the C-1 Land Use Policy recently adopted by the City of Bellevue.
- Member, Arshia Nilchian (first term expires 05/26/2027)
- Member, Jonny Lu (first term expires 5/31/2028): Jonny Lu is a Bellevue local who loves all the City has to offer. He grew up shooting hoops at Lewis Creek Park and playing pool at Crossroads Community Center. He attended Odle Middle School, Interlake High School, and the University of Washington. Bellevue shaped his growth as a second-generation Chinese & Taiwanese American. His career started downtown on NE 8th at Apptio, a then-startup that would grow into a public company in 2016. His experience includes corporate strategy at Google and earning an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He now leads strategy and finance at Lithos Carbon, a Bellevue startup working with crop farmers on carbon sequestration. As a planning commissioner, his goal is to guide our City's growth while enhancing the qualities that make Bellevue an exceptional place to live, learn, and work.
- Member, Andres Villaveces (first term expires 5/31/2025): Born in Bogotá and having lived in Miami, New York, Seattle, Rome, Abu Dhabi, and now Bellevue, Andrés brings a unique perspective to his role as a Planning Commissioner. A registered Architect in Washington and Florida, an urban designer, a Certified Passive House Consultant, and cofounder of international design studio Métrica Architects, Andrés has led projects across four continents. His portfolio includes single-family homes, mixed-use developments, sports facilities, cultural buildings, high-rise towers, and pedestrian-oriented, large-scale master plans in locations such as Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Lahore, Pakistan. Andrés values the opportunity to guide Bellevue’s growth during this pivotal moment, advocating for policies and development guidelines that reflect thoughtful urban design principles. His love for cities and urban transformation aligns with his expertise as an architect, where navigating codes and zoning challenges is part of his daily work. Andrés sees Bellevue’s growth as an opportunity to build a more connected, sustainable, and vibrant city for future generations.
Authority
The Planning Commission is governed by City Code 3.64.