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Bellevue council directs staff to finalize omnibus land-use code amendments after debate over East Main affordable-housing option
Summary
Council directed staff to finalize the 2026 omnibus land-use code amendments, approving cleanup and state-conformance changes and authorizing further work on limited policy items. Members debated tree-code tweaks and a proposed fee-in-lieu option for East Main before the motion passed 6–1.
The Bellevue City Council voted to direct staff to finalize a package of 2026 land-use code amendments that bundle mostly technical corrections, state-law updates and a small set of policy changes.
The package, presented by code and policy director Nick Whipple and planning commission chair Nikki Nkonglu, includes ‘‘cleanup’’ edits, state-law conformance changes and several limited policy adjustments such as refining the tree-protection code and allowing a fee-in-lieu option for residential affordable housing in the East Main transit-oriented district.
Council member Vishal Bhargava, who introduced the proclamation earlier in the meeting and participated in the LUCA discussion, said the omnibus approach improves predictability for applicants and staff. Whipple told the council the package is roughly 30% cleanup, 60% state-conformance and 10% policy items and noted the fee-in-lieu proposal would match the commercial fee used downtown—about $38 (per the draft metric cited)—to give East Main developers flexibility when on-site affordable housing is infeasible.
Council members asked staff how the city will measure whether the changes reduce permitting friction and how the administration will decide which items belong in an omnibus package versus a standalone process with additional outreach. Whipple said staff will track permitting feedback, use internal code-interpretation tools and, when needed, move items into a separate process for broader engagement.
On tree code changes, staff described adjustments to property-line credit and residential-district credits after implementation revealed overly burdensome planting requirements for some lot sizes. Council members praised the practical approach while asking for monitoring metrics to ensure canopy goals remain attainable.
Council member Robinson opposed the fee-in-lieu change, saying advocates told her the option weakens on-site affordable-housing guarantees. Other members supported the flexibility, noting difficult market conditions for high-rise construction may make fee-in-lieu necessary to deliver any affordable units in East Main.
Deputy Mayor Hamilton moved and Council member Newenhouse seconded a direction to staff to finalize the omnibus LUCA and associated BCCA ordinances for final action. The motion passed 6–1; Robinson voted nay. Council requested staff return with finalized ordinance language and supporting findings for a future meeting.
The LUCA discussion began during a study session and will return to council for final action; one state-law item in the package carries an upcoming compliance deadline that staff said they are targeting for July action.
