Bellevue planning commissioners direct staff to advance updated future land-use map, set June public hearing

The Bellevue Planning Commission on May 8 directed staff to incorporate a set of map refinements into the public‑hearing draft of the comprehensive plan periodic update and the BelRed subarea plan.

Staff said the public‑hearing draft will reflect several targeted changes discussed at the meeting, including keeping the Crossroads Mall site as mid‑rise mixed use rather than the taller high‑rise option studied in some alternatives. Planner Tara told commissioners the change aims to balance added capacity with neighborhood scale: “If you’re comfortable with where we’re at tonight, we’re happy to forward that on to the formal public hearing.”

Property owners who spoke during oral communications urged other, parcel‑level adjustments. Mike Braskin, owner of a corner property at Northeast 8th and 156th, asked the commission to make his parcel consistent with the three other corners by designating it mid‑rise mixed use so redevelopment would better align with neighboring projects: “I think this would be a good site to include in that designation.” Commissioners agreed to add that parcel to the mid‑rise designation in the public‑hearing draft.

On Jubilee Reach, staff recommended changing the designated future use from a C1 rezone pathway to medium‑density residential to allow the faith‑based owner to begin development sooner; commissioners supported advancing that recommendation as part of the draft, while noting rezoning would not itself require affordable housing. Planner Gwen said the medium‑density designation would let Jubilee Reach “start the development process earlier,” but she cautioned rezoning alone would not obligate construction of income‑restricted units.

Bellevue College’s proposed institutional redesignation drew sustained attention from residents and the college’s attorney. Megan Raymond, speaking for Bellevue College, asked the commission to align the future‑use designation with long‑standing campus use to reduce uncertainty after an earlier agreement exempting the college from single‑family zoning ended in 2022. Commissioners ultimately opted to keep the single‑family neighborhood area shown as an institution on the public‑hearing draft so the public can weigh in at the hearing.

By consensus and subsequent motion, the commission directed staff to fold these changes into the public‑hearing draft and scheduled the formal hearing for late June. The commission’s direction is not a final adoption; staff will present the draft at the June hearing and the commission will make any formal recommendation to City Council afterward.