Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Beaux Arts Village council approves franchise allowing Bellevue to build underground water transmission line
Summary
The Beaux Arts Village Town Council passed Ordinance No. 482, granting the City of Bellevue a 15-year franchise (with one 5-year extension) to construct, maintain and operate a below‑ground water transmission line. The council recorded the vote 5–0 and the agreement includes an estimated annual fee of about $20,000.
The Beaux Arts Village Town Council voted unanimously on Oct. 14, 2025 to adopt Ordinance No. 482, granting the City of Bellevue a franchise to construct, maintain and operate an underground water transmission line through the Town.
Mayor Aletha Howes summarized the agreement’s key terms, noting a 15‑year term with one opportunity for a five‑year extension and “the annual franchise fee will be approximately $20,000,” with a fee adjustment for inflation. The ordinance requires Bellevue to provide a GIS‑based survey showing locations of its transmission lines within 60 days after the agreement is fully executed, and distinguishes the existing A/C line (to be abandoned in place) from the new ductile‑iron lines. The intertie between systems was not part of this franchise and will be handled through a separate agreement.
Councilmember Tom Stowe moved to pass the ordinance; Councilmember Brad Wheeler seconded. The motion carried 5 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain. The record shows the council discussed that the franchise applies to the full width of the arterial right‑of‑way, that any future expansions by Bellevue can be constrained through permitting, and that the agreement is exclusive to below‑ground transmission facilities.
Next steps noted in the meeting minutes include administrative follow‑up to receive the GIS survey from Bellevue and to finalize any related permits; no additional council action on the ordinance was recorded at this meeting.
