Council hears hours-long public hearing on proposed density change for RG-8/PS overlay; no final vote

The Bellevue City Council on Sept. 2 held a public hearing on Ordinance No. 4,194, a proposed text amendment to section 5.17 of the city zoning code that would lower the minimum lot area per multifamily unit allowed in the RG-8 zoning designation with a planned subdivision (PS) overlay. The change under consideration would reduce the current 800-square-foot-per-unit minimum to as low as 675 square feet; the applicant said it was seeking a 750-square-foot minimum for its project following a later application update.

Brent Beller, representing Great Lakes Capital, told the council the proposal is intended to enable a workforce housing project on a 1.5-acre infill lot that has been on the market about 20 years. Beller said the developer originally proposed 96 units and later reduced that to 80 units while pursuing financing through…