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Property owners and merchants clash at Bellevue hearing over Old Bellevue interim control
Summary
At a public hearing on Ordinance 6903, supporters urged preserving Old Bellevue's human-scale character while many property owners warned the interim official control could conflict with state laws, raise redevelopment costs and was adopted without owner-specific outreach; staff said the IOC was drafted mindful of state statute but legal challenges remain possible.
Supporters and opponents of a recently adopted interim official control (Ordinance 6903) for Old Bellevue gave contrasting views at a Bellevue City Council public hearing, and councilors pressed staff for legal and implementation clarifications.
Several residents, business owners and association representatives urged the council to keep the distinct, walkable character of Old Bellevue's Main Street. "The character of Bellevue, Old Bellevue, Old Main Street isn't just about preserving a few older buildings," said Alex Kamara, an Old Bellevue resident and member of the Old Bellevue Merchants Association, urging council to "support this very important ordinance" that reinforces pedestrian scale and continuity of local events.
Property owners and developers countered that the IOC, which makes facade-preservation protections mandatory in certain circumstances, could conflict with state law…
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