Issaquah council approves two‑year extension for Bellevue College parcel after adding outreach and council‑approval safeguards
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Summary
After extensive public comment and council debate, Issaquah approved a two‑year extension to Bellevue College’s 2011 development agreement for the Highlands’ 19‑acre Parcel 4. The revised terms require community outreach and preserve council review before any standalone housing applications proceed; vote passed 4–3.
Issaquah’s City Council on Nov. 10 approved a two‑year extension to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) transfer‑of‑development‑rights agreement that governs Bellevue College’s 19‑acre parcel in the Issaquah Highlands, subject to new public outreach commitments and additional council review for housing proposals. The amended substitute resolution passed 4–3 after more than two hours of presentations, public comment and council questions.
The extension authorizes Bellevue College to carry out a “community‑informed” outreach process and to develop a plan for Parcel 4 that may include institutional uses or a mixed‑use scenario. Under the amendment the council adopted, any proposal consisting solely of housing must return to the council for a separate approval before the college may submit land‑use applications. The city’s staff presentation clarified that institutional entitlements previously allowed under the original 2011 agreement would remain available but that the amended terms require compliance with current stormwater, critical‑area and tree‑protection standards.
Supporters of preserving institutional options — including parents and Issaquah Highlands residents — urged the council to keep the site available for a possible school or other community facility. Natalie Anderson, a parent in the Maple Hills area, said the parcel is a “rare opportunity” for the school district and asked council to keep the door open for education uses. Sarah Hoy, executive director of the Issaquah Highlands Community Association, criticized the process to date and asked the city to ensure IHCA has “a seat at the table.”
Opponents of the extension argued the college could use the extension to pursue market‑rate residential development and urged stronger protections. Kevin Nichols, a Highlands resident, told the council the extension “might decide who controls the future of 19 acres” and urged council to require broader approval rights. Bellevue College President Dr. May responded to the criticism in the chamber, saying the college is “not here to maximize profit” and that the college would conduct public outreach; Dr. May also outlined the state surplus process that would follow if the college ever declared the property surplus.
Council members debated several possible amendments at length. One proposed amendment would have required council approval for all land‑use filings for the parcel (not just housing), but Bellevue College told the council it was not willing to accept that change; instead officials and staff agreed the revised exhibit should require robust community outreach for all proposal types. The council ultimately voted to substitute the revised Nov. 10 resolution, to remove the word “standalone” from Exhibit A (so mixed uses with housing would be subject to the outreach/business rules), and to adopt the revised resolution authorizing the mayor to approve the amendment extending the agreement.
City staff explained the practical effect of a no vote: if the council did not extend the agreement, Bellevue College would not be required to conduct a proactive community‑engagement process before seeking development partners; instead permitting would proceed under the existing DA terms and the city could face a surplusing process that would reduce its ability to shape outcomes. Provisions in the extension require Bellevue College to meet current environmental regulations even if a development is later pursued.
The vote was 4 in favor and 3 opposed. Council members who supported the extension said the amendment gives the city and community a clear path to guide any future proposal through required outreach, environmental review and, for housing, a return to the council. Council members who opposed argued the original contractual entitlements had lasted long enough and that the city should revert to its baseline zoning or pursue a new development agreement that more tightly enshrined promised public benefits.
What’s next: Bellevue College will follow the outreach program and may bring back specific proposals in the future. Under the adopted amendment, any standalone housing proposal must receive council approval before a land‑use application can be filed.
