Planning Commission Recap: BelRed LUCA Heads to a Hearing, and a Third Path for the Street Grid

Bellevue Chamber of Commerce  |  September 9, 2026

Bellevue's Planning Commission held its fourth study session on the BelRed Look Forward land use code amendment (LUCA) on September 9. Jonny Lu presided. Staff said Council review is unlikely before early next year.

What we asked for

Our comment letter, filed the same day over Joe Fain's signature, argues that the cumulative cost of the code is what keeps BelRed projects from penciling, with mapped streets, stormwater detention and stream restoration stacked on one project budget. It asks the city to eliminate the remaining mapped streets in favor of the 1,200 foot block perimeter standard, credit infrastructure costs against the mandatory affordable housing fee, adopt a lasting catalyst program, and open development agreements to sites under four acres. Patrick Hanks highlighted two of those in his oral comment on behalf of

"Street requirements are one of the largest cost drivers under the code. Moving away from prescriptive street grid and expanding exemptions for steep slopes is critical to improve feasibility." — Patrick Hanks, Bellevue Chamber

Morgan Shook of ECOnorthwest, presenting the feasibility analysis we commissioned, said almost nothing in BelRed is penciling today.

Where the commissioners landed

None of the commissioners asked staff to delete the grid, and most asked for more room to depart from it. Vice Chair Andres Villaveces asked for a performance path built on the 1,200 foot block perimeter as a third option between the mapped grid and a development agreement, and for development agreements to open below four acres.

Commissioner Carolynn Ferris asked staff to state the goals the grid is meant to serve, so a project that meets them another way has a defined route through review. Commissioner Craighton Goeppele called the 10 foot sidewalks on private street substitutes an exaction out of proportion to the flexibility offered, asked for 6 or 8 feet, and floated a calibrated pioneer program. Commissioner Negin Khanloo called the 25 percent assurance device for phased stream daylighting too low. Commissioner Arshia Nilchian has not settled on whether the draft keeps the district out of an undevelopable climate for the next decade.

Lu asked staff to return with the grid's stated goals, a proposal for the alternative path, and options on the assurance device, development agreement eligibility, a pioneer program and sidewalk width. Ferris moved to direct staff to set the public hearing and the motion carried by voice vote, with no date set. Code and policy director Nick Whipple said there is no hard deadline, and that if the Commission cannot reach a recommendation the night of the hearing, staff will schedule another study session.