Planning Commission schedules public hearing on Bellevue middle-housing code after extensive public comment

The Bellevue Planning Commission on March 12 advanced the city’s draft middle-housing land use code amendment and directed staff to schedule a public hearing on the proposal to implement House Bill 1110 and House Bill 1337.

The study session, held in a hybrid format, brought extended public comment: roughly 25 registered speakers addressed provisions including dwelling-unit limits, floor-area-ratio (FAR) caps, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) size and exemptions, tree-code interactions and utility/garbage impacts of increased density. Staff asked the commission for direction and said the draft scales allowance from a baseline of four units per lot up to six and nine units per lot near higher-frequency transit and centers, with other development flexibilities and FAR adjustments under consideration.

Why it matters: Bellevue adopted growth targets and a comp-plan direction to encourage middle housing; the city must also meet state statutory requirements. The proposed LUCA would change single-family zoning allowances across large portions of the city, affecting homeowners, builders and utilities and creating long-term changes to street and infrastructure needs.

Staff presentation and changes Staff representatives framed the draft as an update to the February proposal, noting public outreach sessions and edits that narrow some earlier proposals. Development Services Assistant Director Nick Whipple and Code and Policy Senior Planner Kristen (Kirsten) described the draft’s main points: a citywide baseline of four dwelling units per lot; six units permitted where two units are affordable and within a quarter-mile of frequent transit or centers; and up to nine units per lot within a half-mile of major transit stops. The draft also proposes FAR limits tied to lot size (0.5 FAR up to 10,000 sq ft, with reduced incremental FAR above that) and regulatory flexibilities such as modest setback reductions, slightly larger lot coverage allowances and limited exemptions for garages.

Public comments: range of support and concern Several industry and developer representatives endorsed more permissive rules or the draft as-is. Jennifer Robertson, representing Howell Development, said she “strongly support[s] the density that is in the draft ordinance,” including four, six and nine dwelling-unit thresholds plus ADU allowances, and recommended a half-mile density bonus near neighborhood commercial centers. Jessica Roe of McCullough Hill, speaking for a client, urged that Bellevue “match or exceed” the state model ordinance and preserve current FAR rules for single-family homes if density is not increased.

Builder and industry groups — including Veronica Shekotko for the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties and Randy Banneker for the Seattle King County Realtors — supported incentive-driven approaches (fee-in-lieu options) and urged retaining a 0.5 FAR for lots over 10,000 sq ft or easing FAR penalties when an ADU is included. The Eastside Housing Roundtable speakers, and representatives from the Housing Development Consortium and Eastside Affordable Housing Coalition, urged the commission to adopt a package of changes to increase housing supply and keep developer viability.

Residents and long-time homeowners raised concerns about neighborhood character, traffic, waste collection and tree loss. A Wilburton resident said the proposed density and construction pace risked “attracting crime like the city of Seattle,” while other speakers cited trash pickup logistics on narrow streets and asked the commission to preserve mature trees and protect livability.

Staff clarifications and specific edits Kristen clarified that the draft now proposes the 0.3 FAR limit only for incremental lot area above 10,000 square feet, allowing a property at 10,000 sq ft to retain a 0.5 FAR. The draft increases the maximum detached ADU size to 1,200 sq ft and proposes exempting designated garage square footage from FAR calculations. Staff said they will continue to examine tree-code interactions and open questions such as CC&Rs and parcel-specific constraints but noted that private covenants are outside the city’s authority.

Commission direction and formal action After public comment and staff discussion, a commissioner moved and the Planning Commission voted to direct staff to schedule a public hearing on the middle-housing LUCA. The commission also approved a 45-minute extension to the oral communications period to hear additional speakers. The commission did not adopt final code language at the March 12 study session; staff will bring the draft to a public hearing followed by further study as needed.

What’s next Staff will publish any updated draft code and the public-hearing date; the commission indicated it may still request additional briefings (for example, on the tree code) before or after the hearing. If the Planning Commission later votes to recommend adoption, the proposal would move to the Bellevue City Council for final action.

Ending The study session ended after more than two hours of public testimony and a staff presentation; commissioners signaled continued attention to balancing housing supply, developer feasibility and neighborhood impacts as the city moves the proposal toward a public hearing.