Bellevue council approves updated critical areas code to speed housing while retaining protections

The Bellevue City Council on Dec. 9 adopted Ordinance 6894, a comprehensive update to the city's Critical Areas Ordinance intended to balance habitat protections with new pathways for housing and development.

City staff said the update, required under the state Growth Management Act, uses best available science and adds flexible mitigation tools intended to preserve high-quality critical areas while giving developers more predictable options for formerly constrained sites. "This update responsibly balances strong environmental protections with the flexibility needed to meet our housing and job growth targets," Development Services staff said in the presentation.

Developers and property owners urged the council to ensure the new rules enable transit-oriented housing. Matt Felton, owner of the Gateway 1 office building, said a proposed sale of parking land adjacent to a light-rail station could yield "300 plus new homes, including 60 plus affordable housing units,"…