What does the current Bellevue SMP include and how does it affect private property owners?
The current SMP was adopted by Bellevue in 1974 and has existed essentially unchanged since. The SMP is contained in the Comprehensive Plan policies under the Shoreline Element and Part 20.25E of the Land Use Code. Bellevue’s plan addresses many of the key components of the SMA, with special emphasis on single-family development and public (park) access. While the regulations contain standards that are generally protective, many key components are missing, including a focus on the biological and physical characteristics of the shoreline. This sort of analysis was supposed to result in a range of environmental designations or “environments,” sensitive to the land use and biological characteristics present on that section of shoreline, each with specific regulations to support these characteristics. The idea was that a mostly undeveloped shoreline with high biological benefit was to have policy and regulation attached to it that would mostly preserve and support those characteristics. Al
