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LAND USE & LIVABILITY COMMITTEE

NEXT MEETING (May 1)

Special Presentation on Placemaking
What if We Built Our Cities Around Places

Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director of Project for Public Spaces (PPS) joins the BDA Land Use & Livability Committee virtually from New York City to present on what it takes to rally a community of diverse stakeholders behind a shared vision for placemaking with strategies to implement projects. Members will learn about PPS’s framework to assess places with tools such as the Power of 10+, Four Key Attributes of a Place, and 11 Principles for Creating Great Community Places. For a preview, review PPS’s free booklet entitled: Placemaking: What if We Built Our Cities Around Places.

Meeting Details:
Wednesday, May 1
12:00 – 1:00pm
Microsoft Teams

Committee meetings and resources are reserved for members or invite only. Contact Matt Jack, BDA Director of Public Policy for access.

Hot Topics

  • Downtown Land Use Code - For over five years, the BDA Land Use & Livability Committee led the stakeholder engagement to update the 30+-old Downtown Land Use Code. Since it's Q4 2017 adoption, the committee has been tracking the code's early implementation and informing process improvements. Over the course of 2018, the committee promoted pre-application process update to improve expectations around earlier design changes in relationship to the new code. Currently, the committee is reflecting on how the code is working and if refinements need to be made. 
     
  • The Grand Connection - From Meydenbauer Bay to the Eastrail, the vision is to connect these two landmarks through a series of adjoining public and private space. The BDA is heavily involved in advancing the Grand Connection idea toward a reality. In 2019, the BDA partnered with the City of Bellevue to test placemaking along the route. In 2021, the BDA supported the City's effort to adopt the Grand Connection design guidelines.
     
  • Wilburton Rezone - East of I-405 from Downtown, the Wilburton Commercial Area is being considered for a rezone. Work on the rezone will continue to Planning Commission and then the City Council. The BDA Land Use & Livability Committee will track its progress every step of the way. Read the latest comment letter about the Wilburton Draft Environment Statement. 
     
  • Housing - Jobs are increasing at a faster rate than the development of affordable and workforce housing. Downtown Bellevue and the Eastside are experiencing a growing disparity that needs to be addressed. The BDA Land Use & Livability Committee plans to gather around the subject to identify opportunities to course correct the problem. Read more about the housing issues in the May 2019 BDA Breakfast recap of Microsoft’s housing initiative presentation.  

 

Get Involved

Committee members receive regular updates, resource materials, meeting invitations, and opportunities to communicate feedback. To join the committee, please contact Matt Jack, BDA Policy Director.