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Bellevue council authorizes staff to draft interim rules to preserve Old Bellevue character
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Summary
Mayor Robinson asked council to let staff work beyond the usual eight-hour limit to prepare a temporary interim official control (IOC) aimed at preserving the character of Old Bellevue. Council approved the request and directed staff to return with a proposed IOC and community engagement plan.
Bellevue Mayor Robinson on Nov. 25 asked the City Council to authorize staff to spend more than the routine eight hours to prepare a recommendation for a temporary interim official control (IOC) intended to "preserve and reinforce the character of Old Bellevue" along Main Street between Bellevue Way and 100th Avenue.
Council members debated the need for urgency and the scope of public outreach before voting to authorize the extra staff time. The mayor said the IOC would convert existing voluntary incentives into a temporary regulatory requirement — for example, mandating retention of historic facades and objective design standards — while staff develops permanent rules.
Supporters, including multiple council members, said Old Bellevue’s unique mix of small, street-level businesses and historic storefronts deserves protection from redevelopment that could quickly erase its character. Opponents or skeptics asked why the council was using an emergency IOC process rather than a longer work program and sought assurances that property owners and stakeholders would be consulted before final restrictions are imposed.
City attorney Matt McCarlwood told the council that an IOC requires findings of legislative urgency under the Growth Management Act to allow a streamlined interim process; that urgency finding is what permits the city to forego some of the usual pre-adoption outreach requirements. Mayor Robinson said his urgency concern is developers might file permits to avoid future requirements.
Council approved the motion to authorize staff to exceed the eight-hour limit to prepare an interim official control and asked staff to return with a proposed IOC, findings supporting any emergency or urgency determination, and a plan for stakeholder engagement and next steps toward permanent regulations.
Next steps: staff will prepare the IOC language, supporting findings and an outreach plan and return to the council for further consideration and formal action.
