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Bellevue council directs staff to finalize code changes to allow commercial-to-residential conversions under state law
Summary
At a Jan. 7 study session, Bellevue City Council directed staff to prepare a land use code amendment and Bellevue City Code changes to comply with House Bill 1042, enabling conversions of existing commercial or mixed-use buildings to residential uses with specified exemptions and incentives.
The Bellevue City Council on Jan. 7 directed staff to finalize a Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) and a Bellevue City Code Amendment (BCCA) to implement House Bill 1042, the 2023 state law that requires cities to allow conversions of commercial or mixed-use buildings to residential use and to increase residential density in eligible zones.
The motion, moved and seconded during the council’s study session, directs staff to prepare ordinance language for final action on a future consent agenda; the motion passed by voice vote with all council members present voting aye.
What the code changes do: City staff and Planning Commission members described amendments that go beyond the state minimum in several ways while remaining consistent with HB 1042. The key provisions presented by Nick Whipple, Code and Policy Director, and Matthew Menard, Senior Planner, include:
- Applicability: Applies in districts that already allow both commercial and residential uses (mixed-use districts). An…
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