Bellevue public hearing: residents press council for more climate funding, safer streets and clearer review of safe-parking site

Dozens of Bellevue residents told the City Council on June 23 that the preliminary budget must prioritize climate programs and neighborhood safety while the council pause the proposed safe-parking pilot relocation until it produces a documented site analysis.

Members of People for Climate Action Bellevue and allied groups urged the council to ramp up city spending on building- and transportation-focused decarbonization programs. At the microphone, Alice Meng of People for Climate Action Bellevue called for the city to allocate $4,000,000 in 2027 and $7,000,000 in 2028 as a lead-up to sustained annual spending at roughly $9,000,000 to meet Bellevue’s 2050 emissions goals. “We estimate that that will require spending $4,000,000 in 2027 and $7,000,000 in 2028,” she said, adding the amount would represent less than 1% of the city’s annual budget.

Business and downtown interests urged investments in targeted transportation projects and smart safety fixes rather than broad lane conversions. Maria Frost of Kemper Development Company asked council to fund the transportation master plan and targeted intersection improvements, saying data-driven engineering and targeted enforcement should guide spending rather than broad redesigns.

Separately, multiple residents in the Greenwich Crest neighborhood and adjacent areas urged the council not to relocate the city’s safe-parking pilot from a commercial Lincoln Center site to Newport Presbyterian Church. Peggy Jackson, who said she lives across from the church entrance on 128th Avenue SE, cited environmental sensitivity, proximity to wetlands and wildlife corridors, and a lack of a publicly available, documented analysis of site impacts. “Without that record, it is difficult to understand how environmental sensitivity, neighborhood use and operational factors have been evaluated for this location,” Jackson said.

Richard Bridal, speaking for more than 200 Greenwich Crest residents, asked the council to pause any relocation until a compatible site is identified and technical evaluations (including emergency access and traffic impacts) are shared with the community. Several speakers emphasized the need for transparent documentation of any safety and management plan before the council approves relocation.

Neighborhood safety and walkability also drew repeated public appeals. Nikita Melnichenko and others asked the council to prioritize sidewalks and traffic-calming measures on SE 34th Street and other corridors where children cross to bus stops and visibility is poor.

Procedurally, the council reduced public-hearing speaking time from three minutes to two minutes to allow all registered participants time during the hearing; the motion passed on a voice vote.

What happens next: staff will include public testimony in their outreach summary as the preliminary budget is prepared for presentation to council in September and for additional public hearings this fall.