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Council directs staff to draft code for paid on-street parking, endorses dynamic pricing approach
Summary
Council voted to instruct staff to finalize city code amendments and prepare an ordinance enabling dynamic paid on-street parking in downtown, Old Bellevue and Spring District, with a council-set price range and director-level adjustments to target 1–2 open spaces per block face.
Bellevue City Council on May 4 directed staff to finalize code amendments and prepare an ordinance to allow a paid on-street parking program that city staff said would use dynamic pricing to improve curb access for businesses and manage turnover.
Transportation Director Andrew Singalakis and Assistant Director Chris Long described the curb-management plan and the proposed code changes. Long said the program would establish a price range the council adopts in code and give the director authority to adjust curb prices administratively (up to twice a year) to meet performance targets: "Our goal is to create 1 to 2 open parking spaces on every block face within the study area," he said.
Staff said the program will prioritize multiple payment options (text-to-pay, mobile app, pay stations), increase uniform enforcement across the curb pricing zone and reinvest net revenue (after operating costs) back into curb-management activities like wayfinding, ADA improvements, transit access initiatives and targeted street activations. Long said staff does not recommend offering a free first 30 minutes because turnover studies showed high short-stay activity and that the revenue loss would undermine reinvestment goals.
Council members asked about enforcement approaches (current contracts and Bellevue Police support), potential impacts on street-level businesses and metrics for evaluating results. Several council members urged robust outreach to merchants and an early check-in (staff proposed a first-year review) so negative effects can be addressed quickly. Council members discussed employee parking, late-night worker access, and possible vendor or employer partnerships to provide low-cost alternatives for employees.
Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton moved to direct staff to finalize the code amendments and prepare an implementing ordinance; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposition recorded. Staff said vendor solicitation, signage and app development would follow, with a target program launch in Q2 2027 and continued public engagement in early 2027.
The code changes staff will draft include defining the curb pricing zone, authorizing dynamic price adjustments within council-set ranges (example in the draft code: $1 to $8 per hour), specifying outreach and signage requirements, and identifying eligible uses for reinvested revenue within the curb management area.
