If you have time on Tuesday night, please attend the Public Hearing on Ord. 6891 relating to Co-Living Housing. You can sign up to speak starting at noon on the day of the meeting. It would also be helpful to email council@bellevuewa.gov or individual council members now if you have concerns about what is being proposed, so that they have time to read your letter over the weekend. If you haven't already shared this petition with your friends and/or neighbors, please feel free to!
The new rules will allow co-living in mixed use areas (no limit on number of units) and in formerly SFH areas that are within a 1/4 mile walk of certain growth centers (Downtown, East Main, Wilburton, BelRed, Crossroads, Eastgate, and Factoria) - up to 24 units. A new draft has been provided for this meeting, but you'll have to look at the project website to see the map. A portion of Bridle Trails is included in the boundary since it is adjacent to RapidRide B stops. The RapidRide K potentially affected areas are not shown on the map (though I do hear pessimism that it will really get funded). The map shows as-the-crow-flies boundaries, but the actual eligibility is based on walking distance, so it will be a smaller area than shown. Since parking is not required within 1/2 (*not* 1/4) mile of frequent bus service, there would only be a parking requirement in rare cases.
I still strongly recommend that we add a fee in lieu of $10k for each additional middle housing unit in these areas beyond 4 (not counting the AADUs). It shouldn't change the production of middle housing much and we'd be able to make co-living rules about on-site management, indoor bicycle parking, shared EVs, inclusion of accessible units, trash collection areas, and street parking eligibility, and we'd be able to require on-site parking. The draft removes old rooming house provisions about meeting safety code, having to be in a detached structure, that they be legal bedrooms (though the state law does seem to assume that they'll be legal bedrooms), that the exterior be maintained, and that there be provisions for refuse collection. The info session presentation in October did say that they'll be expected to meet fire code. It will be interesting to see if there are existing townhomes and apartments where people might be able to add co-living (and if you've seen the Affordable Housing Strategy draft linked in the survey that's up now, it appears the city might try to "address" CC&Rs that block density).
Unfortunately, I've done more reading, and I don't think Culdesac actually has the answer for these areas. Culdesac was touted as a success, but in retrospect, some of the quotes I saw were a bit self-congratulatory. Unlike the low density Bellevue locations, it's on a light rail line with light industrial neighbors and there wasn't much street parking in the area to start with. At least Culdesac takes the approach of offering an abundance of options, such as ebikes, free scooters, Lyft, and on-site food options, and I still hope we learned as much as possible from the visit to Arizona.
I believe we can make good rules - it's not rocket science - but it would make sense to involve the community in making sure we have a resident-centered model that other cities will want to copy and come to tour.
https://bellevuewa.gov/council-public-hearing
New draft: https://bellevue.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14991814&GUID=9A7D1AE2-D83A-43CE-874D-EA687297E83D
Project website: https://bellevuewa.gov/code-amendments/co-living-housing-land-use-code-amendment
PDF with map: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2025/final-dsd-25-60060-co-living-housing-flyer-web.pdf
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro/travel-options/bus/rapidride/k-line
https://www.engagingbellevue.com/2025-affordable-housing-strategy
https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/comments/1bo9fqs/has_anyone_actually_visited_the_new_carfree/
Also, a correction regarding the recent public comment at City Council about an ownership model; Anthony Avery's affiliation is actually West Seattle Bike Dad.