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Bellevue adopts Airfield Park master plan, endorsing aquatics center and phased construction amid landfill concerns
Summary
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 10,414 updating the Bellevue Airfield Park master plan to include a proposed aquatics facility, pickleball courts and other amenities; staff reported a SEPA determination found no probable significant adverse impact but noted Department of Ecology review is required for landfill-related development.
The Bellevue City Council voted Sept. 17 to adopt the updated Bellevue Airfield Park master plan (Resolution No. 10,414), which identifies the former landfill site as the preferred location for a new aquatics facility alongside courts, playgrounds, trails and natural-area conservation. The council approved phased implementation and directed staff to continue design and environmental work.
Parks staff summarized a multi-year public process that began in 2020, including workshops, three surveys and Park Board review. The preferred plan calls for a full-service aquatics center — described in staff materials as roughly 130,000 square feet with both 25-yard and 50-meter pools, diving facilities and program spaces — plus eight dedicated pickleball courts, a terrace lawn, playground, picnic shelters and parking reconfiguration. Staff emphasized the southern portion of the 27-acre site is more developable while north-side forested buffers would be conserved where feasible.
The site's history as an airfield (until 1983) and a municipal landfill (1951'1964) informed the plan. Parks staff reported environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) resulted in a determination issued Aug. 1 that the master plan does not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment and that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required. The SEPA determination included a condition that Department of Ecology review any landfill-related development under Washington's Model Toxics Control Act requirements.
Public comments at the meeting reflected a mix of support and concern. Supporters (including Splashforward and swimmers) urged adoption to expand aquatics access and water-safety programs. Opponents and downstream residents raised concerns about disturbing the landfill cap, cited historic monitoring results and asked about contingency budgets, liability caps, and health protections. Parks staff said additional testing and remediation design steps will take place during project design and that upgrading failing landfill systems is part of the work before construction.
Staff noted funding for design and construction would come from previous park levies (2008, 2022) and that design and building would be phased; further budget and partnership agreements will be returned to council for contract awards and funding approvals.
Next steps: staff will complete pre-design and environmental coordination with the Department of Ecology, develop phasing options and return with design proposals, partnership agreements and funding recommendations.
