• This Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) and Bellevue City Code Amendment (BCCA) reconciles recently adopted provisions within the Land Use Code (LUC) with existing language in the City's shoreline regulations (Chapter 20.25E LUC) and SEPA environmental procedures (Chapter 22.02 Bellevue City Code). Although the new LUCA provisions were adopted in summer 2022, the Washington State Shoreline Management Act requires a separate process for amending local SMPs, which must be done in consultation with the Department of Ecology. 

    Background

    The City's Shoreline Master Program (SMP) was last updated in 2016. The SMP consists of the Shoreline Element of the City's Comprehensive Plan and Chapter 20.25E of the LUC. The SMP is required under the Washington State Shoreline Management Act and Growth Management Act. 

    On July 18, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 6670, which removed the former East Bellevue Community Council (EBCC) from the provisions under the LUC, following their dissolution on July 8. Additionally, on August 1, the Council adopted Ordinance No. 6673, which revised the procedures for quasi-judicial appeals. Due to state-level requirements for amending shoreline regulations, however, neither of these ordinances included amendments to the SMP at that time. Thus, this LUCA is intended to conform the City's shoreline regulations and environmental procedures with those in the remainder of the LUC. Additionally, the BCCA is proposed for the City's environmental procedures to remove an outdated reference to quasi-judicial appeals in Chapter 22.02 of the Bellevue City Code. 

    What changed?

    • EBCC Sunsetting
      • This LUCA will remove all EBCC-related provisions from Chapter 20.25E LUC. For example, there is a requirement to forward all shoreline-related public notices to all members of the community council. As there is no longer a community council in Bellevue, this requirement is being removed. 
    • Quasi-Judicial Appeals
      • Prior to Ordinance No. 6673, the City Council had authority to hear appeals to certain land use decisions. This authority is still granted to the Council for shoreline-related permits and decisions. Thus, LUC 20.25E and BCC 22.02 will be amended to align all shoreline-related procedures and appeals with those found for other non-shoreline permits. 

    LUCA Documents

    LUCA Scheduling and Public Notice

    Date Meeting or Action Taken Links
    12/8/2022 Notice of Application Weekly Permit Bulletin
    12/22/2022 Notice of Joint Comment Period and Public Hearing Weekly Permit Bulletin
    1/9/2023 City Council Study Session City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
    1/23/2023 Environmental Procedures BCCA Action (Consent Agenda) City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
    1/23/2023 SMP Conformance LUCA Public Hearing City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
    3/18/2023 SMP Conformance LUCA Action (Consent Agenda) City Council Meeting Agenda Materials