Bellevue staff outline state-driven parking reform, warn of tight 2027 compliance deadline

Bellevue planning staff on Feb. 25 presented a council-initiated land-use code amendment to bring the city into compliance with recent state laws that cap local parking requirements and set new standards for stall size and location.

Senior Planner Sean Edgehill, presenting the scope of the parking reform LUCA, said the state legislation establishes walking-distance buffers — a half-mile for light rail and a quarter-mile for certain rapid bus stops — within which cities may not require minimum parking for many residential and mixed-use projects. He said the LUCA will also address use-specific exemptions, development standards and limited exceptions.

"These changes are not optional," Edgehill said. "Bellevue must comply with these requirements before 01/27/2027." He added that the combination of caps and exemptions will require a rewrite and consolidation of Bellevue’s parking standards and that staff will pursue robust outreach and analysis before returning to the commission with a draft.

Why…