Chamber provides ongoing direction, support regarding City of Bellevue FAR

The Chamber’s PLUSH Committee has been deeply involved in affordable housing policy in Bellevue, the most recent engagement being with Phase 1 of the City of Bellevue’s FAR LUCA incentive program. We submitted a letter to city officials back in March — read that here — and on Monday night, Chamber VP of Government Affairs Jodie Alberts testified on the matter. 

“Incentive based programs will be the key to the goals outlined in the Next Right Work effort, [but] to calibrate these programs, working hand in glove with industry stakeholders will continue to be a determining factor for our collective success,” said Alberts. “In staff’s proposal, we were pleased to see that there was certain relief from the 15-foot step back. Although the suggested modification of connected floorplate departures in buildings of up to 85’ was not included in phase 1, we strongly urge this be included in the next phase … Such modifications will be instrumental in reaching the incentives that are being proposed in this LUCA.” 

“Otherwise, this amendment will not create the intended benefits or outcomes given, and the industry will not be able to realistically reach them due to the hurdles posed.” 

Need a refresher?

Bellevue City Council is currently discussing Phase 1 of their “Next Right Work” proposal to increase the residential floor area ratio (FAR) in the downtown region through a “temporary and interim official control” (IOC) that will “increase the FAR exemption” and “allow development flexibility in exchange for affordable housing.”