On Monday night, the city council was briefed on Bellevue’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) update.

If it is adopted next month in conjunction with a public hearing, the city will not have to undertake another update for eight years. SMPs are local land-use policies and regulations that guide use of shorelines throughout the state and are reviewed by the Department of Ecology.

Bellevue has been working on a comprehensive update to its SMP since 2008. On June 1, 2017, the Department of Ecology conditionally approved the city’s updated version. In January, an agreement in principle was reached on how to address some final required changes. Earlier this month, the Department of Ecology sent a letter to the city encouraging the plan’s adoption.

The public hearing is scheduled during the council’s regular session meeting on May 7. The council could take action then or on May 21. Additional information on the SMP process can be found on the city’s website.