Bellevue Planning Commission reviews HOMA land‑use rewrite as residents debate Newport Hills redevelopment and downtown incentives

The Bellevue Planning Commission held a study session on Sept. 10 to review the Housing Opportunities in Mixed Use Areas land‑use code amendment, commonly called HOMA, and take public comment on proposed zoning changes that would allow more housing in neighborhood shopping centers and other mixed‑use areas.

The staff presentation, led by Christina Galitz, code and policy planning manager, and Matthew Menard, senior planner, framed HOMA as a citywide effort to align zoning with the new comprehensive plan and to expand both market and affordable housing in mixed‑use districts. "HOMA... is a land use code amendment that is aimed at encouraging more housing and affordable housing in our mixed use areas of the city," Menard told commissioners during the presentation.

Why it matters: HOMA would change form standards across several zoning districts — for example replacing dwelling‑units‑per‑acre limits with floor‑area‑ratio (FAR) limits, raising allowable heights in many neighborhood centers, and adding a new affordable‑housing program with two options: a mandatory requirement (Option A) and a voluntary incentive program (Option B). Staff said the mandatory option would require 10% of units in developments over 10 units to be affordable at 80% area median income (AMI) and would allow an FAR bonus where each square foot of affordable housing exempts four square feet of market housing. Staff also described a fee‑in‑lieu alternative set at $13 per buildable square foot in higher‑density districts and $10 in lower‑density districts.

Public testimony and local focus:…