The city should consider encouraging more vibrant gathering places or “third places” such as the Crossroads Bellevue shopping center. That notion is the leading vote-getter so far in a “Bellevue’s Best Ideas” online forum.

The forum, launched May 1, gives residents and others a chance to share and vote on suggestions for how they would like to see the city develop over the next 20 years. Other top vote-getters so far include a suggestion that the city hold quarterly televised discussions on important issues and that downtown streets be more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

In the early stages of an effort to update the Bellevue’s bedrock document – the comprehensive plan – the city wanted to take crowdsourcing to a new level. Participants are eligible to win prizes, including gift certificates for local retailers.

Ideascale, used by the White House as well as businesses and state and local governments, presents posted ideas. Visitors to the site, https://bellevuesbestideas.ideascale.com, can vote on whether they agree or disagree. Or they can post their own ideas. The ideas with the most “agree” votes will show up at the top.

“We’re certainly making use of traditional means of engagement, including forums with the city’s boards and commissions and presentations for residents,” noted Planning and Community Development Director Chris Salomone. “In this day and age, it only makes sense to use social media to encourage participation too.”

The city is giving the comprehensive plan a 10-year update, in a process expected to wind up next year with the City Council’s approval of a new document that will guide development here through 2035.

The Best Ideas campaign will run to July 4. All ideas submitted will be added as public comment in the comprehensive plan, and some may be included with amendments to the plan.

Complete information about the comprehensive plan update is available at www.bellevuewa.gov/comp-plan-update.htm.