Bellevue council studies major Wilburton land‑use code overhaul after years of stakeholder talks

The Bellevue City Council on April 15 heard detailed staff and Planning Commission briefings on a proposed Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) that would rezone about 300 acres in the Wilburton area to enable high‑density, transit‑and‑trail‑oriented development.

The amendment, which follows a city Comprehensive Plan amendment adopted in July 2024, would create four new Wilburton land‑use districts with building heights ranging from about 100 feet to as much as 450 feet in an urban core. It would also add requirements and incentives for affordable housing, new public and private access corridors, open‑space standards and green‑building measures. Planning Commission Chair Gopal transmitted a unanimous recommendation for adoption and described the package as an iterative compromise formed over months of stakeholder and public engagement.

Why it matters: The LUCA is intended to align zoning with long‑range investments — four light‑rail stations, Eastrail and the Grand Connection — and to shape Wilburton as a mixed‑use neighborhood with housing, jobs, and walkable public space. Staff and the planning commission estimate the zone could accommodate thousands of homes over time; planning‑level projections cited in the presentation showed up to 4,000 new homes within a 20‑year buildout scenario.

Details of the proposed code: The staff presentation described four new subdistricts (urban core; mixed‑use…