Residents join Bellevue in updating neighborhood area plans

Bellevue residents are being called on to help shape the future of their neighborhoods as part of the city’s update of its neighborhood area plans.

The city of Bellevue held a public planning meeting on June 12 at Bellevue City Hall to collect feedback for the city’s project to update the neighborhood area plans for each of the 16 neighborhoods in Bellevue.

Mark Heilman, community engagement lead for the city’s Planning and Community Development Department, explained that Bellevue’s 16 neighborhoods all have an area plan that guides priorities and vision. Some of the plans go back 15 or 20 years and are in need of an update, he said.

Council prioritized neighborhood area planning as a three-year goal earlier this year and the process has begun with its most recent public meeting.

The city is launching this new effort to educate citizens on what the plans are and what they can do. By taking feedback and working with citizens to update the plans, the city can get a better idea of how each neighborhood feels about their area and their city.

“Through this planning period, we really want to turn the corner and do some fresh things to engage folks that are new to the city, folks that are new to the country, younger generations,” Heilman said. “It’s really an opportunity for folks to do grassroots democracy.”

Heilman said the goal is to help citizens put together the plans and collect information on demographics, how things have changed in their neighborhoods and what is distinctive and unique.

The meeting featured each of the 16 neighborhood maps hung on the walls around a room at City Hall. Residents listed the assets of their neighborhood and placed them on the corresponding maps. City staff gave an overview of the process of updating each of the plans and their methods to engage the community.

In addition to overall vision of each area, the plans will have a community profile and map detailing the distinctive features, strengths, issues, and opportunities for changes. They will also explain how each plan relates to the city’s comprehensive plan.

“We are not going to change the big vision (and) can’t change federal law or state law, and we are not going backwards on diversity, not going backwards on welcoming the world,” Heilman said. “We are going to affirm all of those visions that we are going to continue to move forward on. We are not only about protecting what we have but preserving things are are important to us for the future.”

City staff will continue to work with Bellevue residents through neighborhood associations, faith networks, businesses and schools, and will continue host neighborhood workshops and online engagement.

Heilman said staff will recommend a schedule for the project to council that will have two plans completed each year. The major question, he said, is which areas will be selected first. The decision will be made by council based on a large range of factors including areas that have seen the most change, areas that have emerging or ongoing issues and more.