Somerset Community Association
Bellevue, WA
Bellevue, WA
 City Updates: Middle Housing Answers, Council Meeting Info, CRC Reports & July 4th Volunteers Needed!Additional Questions on Middle Housing are Answered by the City, the June 10 City Council Meeting details are available, the CRC Monthly Meeting PPTs are now Posted, and the 4th of July Parade and Picnic Volunteer Sign Up Sheet is Online! City Staff Follow-up from SCA x Bellevue Middle Housing Discussion The City has answered the remaining questions that they were not able to get through, and we have uploaded them under “Middle Housing FAQ Follow Up” in the meeting drive: Attend the Upcoming City Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 10! The proposed implementation plan for Middle Housing will be discussed at the June City Council Meeting on June 10, help your council members make the best decision by participating! See the agenda memo highlighting proposed options for Council to consider in preparation for the June 10 City Council Study Session. Click here for link to agenda memo. 4th of July Parade and Picnic Volunteers Needed! Let’s make this 4th of July unforgettable together! We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with our community picnic, and there’s a role for everyone! From setup to games to serving food, your time and energy can make a big difference. Click the link to explore volunteer opportunities and sign up today! Or Scan this QR Code directly to go to the page:   Let’s make this 4th of July unforgettable together! We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with our community picnic, and there’s a role for everyone! From setup to games to serving food, your time and energy can make a big difference. Click the link to explore volunteer opportunities and sign up today! Or Scan this QR Code directly to go to the page:  SCA x Bellevue Middle Housing Recap and Upcoming CRC and VG Committee Meetings Thank you all who joined the SCA HOSTED CONVERSATION ON MIDDLE HOUSING last night, we hope you’ll also join the JUNE CRC MONTHLY MEETING on Wednesday 6/4 at 7PM, and the VIEW GUIDELINE COMMITTEE MEETING on Thursday 6/5 at 7PM, both open to the community via Zoom. Planning is underway for the annual JULY 4th PARADE & PICNIC, we’ll be sending out a volunteer request in the next few weeks, email us with any suggestions or ideas to [email protected]. Great turnout last night at Somerset Elementary! Residents from all over Bellevue, City Planners and Staff, Councilmembers, and candidates attended the SCA-sponsored Middle Housing Discussion with the City of Bellevue. The meeting presentation slides, recording, and documents are available in our Google Drive (button below). Middle Housing will be voted on by the City Council before June 30th. As discussed, the SCA will be sending the meeting recording to Councilmembers. The draft code and FAQ can be found on the City website: Middle Housing Code Amendments | City of Bellevue How to stay involved: To submit statements regarding the Middle Housing Land Use Code changes, please reach out to [email protected]. Councilmember emails are also in the SCA presentation slides on page 8. Alternatively, you can participate by attending their meetings, details of which can be found at Council Meetings | City of Bellevue.  Meeting details: Time: Wednesday, June 4 at 7PM Zoom Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/aPFuguPVTDye_GNkPu3udQ Agenda: 13-36 & 22-55 Division S; 13606 SE 43rd Pl Tree Complaint 22-24 & 23-32 Division 8; 132nd St Tree Complaint 23-47 Division 14; 4700 Somerset Ave SE Tree Complaint (Lawsuit Update) 25-03 Division H3; 14403 SE 46th St Exterior Lighting Complaint 25-07 Division 6; 13430 SE 43rd St Driveway Replacement 25-04 Division 6; 13445 SE 43rd St House Remodel 25-08 Division 8; 4725 133RD AVE SE Garage Remodel 25-15 Division 15; 4609 135th Ave SE Fence 25-16 Division H-1; 4462 141st Pl SE Rebuild 25-17 Division 6; 4251 134th Ave SE Complaint 25-18 Division 8; 4510 Somerset Dr SE Paint 25-19 Division FH; 5328 135th Pl SE Parking Complaint 25-20 Division 8; 4630 133rd Ave SE Remodel 25-21 Division 2; 13725 Somerset Blvd SE Vegetation Complaint 25-22 Division SR; 14028 SE 44th St Driveway 25-23 Division H2; 14027 Somerset Blvd SE Tree Complaint Contact [email protected] if you have questions. Meeting Details:
Time: Thursday, June 5 at 7PM Zoom Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/o4fZMIT4QymaEp-9tLd45Q Agenda
Please note the View Guidelines Committee Monthly Open ZOOM Meetings will be held the day after the CRC monthly meetings. Lastly, if you have any questions or comments before the meeting, please submit them to [email protected]. REMINDER! Join the Conversation about Middle Housing with City Council and Planners at Somerset Elementary Monday June 2, 6:30 PM, Somerset Elementary Gym Learn about the city reclassifying our neighborhoods from Residential to Middle Housing The agenda includes a short SCA presentation with Q&A, City Planner Presentation with Q&A, and an Open Mic Discussion. City Planners have requested that some questions be submitted in advance. You will also have the opportunity to ask additional questions, raise concerns, and offer suggestions during the meeting as well. If they aren’t able to get all questions answered at the meeting, you can also send emails with questions or statements to the Bellevue City Council at [email protected].
To catch up on the current Middle Housing discussions, please review the video and supporting Middle Housing documents from the recent City Council LUCA meeting, as well as additional FAQs from the city. ATTN neighborhood association leads: Please share this invite with your neighborhood and email [email protected] if you plan on attending to represent your neighborhood. To help SCA prepare for your attendance, please fill out this short survey. How does “Middle Housing” affect my property and neighborhood? If you own a home in a single-family land use district (R-1 through R-7.5), once the regulations are in effect you may be able to have multiple units on your lot. This could include the addition of one or two ADUs with your primary home, or any other combination of units and structure types that works with the space you have and your needs. If you prefer to keep your property as-is that is also allowed under the new regulations. There is nothing in the bill or the anticipated code changes that would require someone to change their property. What is Middle Housing? “Middle housing” or “middle-scale housing” is a term used to refer to residential developments that are more dense than single-family housing and less dense than a typical midrise apartment building, but similar in scale to single-family homes. Middle housing types are determined by the form of the structure and the number of units within the structure and/or development. Densities included in this definition that describe units per structure include: Duplexes, Triplexes, Fourplexes, Sixplexes Building structure types included in this definition are: Townhomes, Stacked flats, Cottages, Courtyard/garden style apartments When will the new regulations go into effect? The city is required to adopt regulations consistent with HB 1110 and 1337 by June 30, 2025. What if my lot has covenants? The city does not enforce private covenants or Homeowners Association (HOA) requirements. Covenants are private legal agreements—typically recorded in county real property records—that impose restrictions on land use. Many covenants prohibit the construction of any type of dwelling unit besides a single-family dwelling, which is the primary topic of discussion we have heard regarding covenants and middle housing. These covenants are contracts, and both the Washington State Constitution and the United States Constitution limit the extent to which government can interfere with previously executed contracts. Additional Information:
Submit Photos to the View Guidelines Committee Dear Somerset Neighbors,
As part of our ongoing effort to update the Somerset View Guidelines, we are contacting all residents to help define what a "view" means in our community. Many of our neighborhood conflicts stem from differing interpretations of what constitutes a view under our Protective Covenants. These covenants mention the impact of structures on surrounding views but do not specify what types of views are protected. We seek community input to create fair, consistent, and measurable guidelines. We invite you to participate by sharing one or more photos of the view from your home. These photos will help the View Guidelines Committee understand the wide range of views in Somerset and how they are valued by residents. Examples might include views of water, trees, city skyline, sunsets, or mountain ranges—whatever you consider important and meaningful. How you can help: Please share photos of the views from your home to assist the committee in understanding the diverse perspectives that matter most to our community. Submit your photos and information to: [email protected] Include the following:
You can also place your photos in an email with the description above in the email. Please connect the description to the photo if there is more that one photo. What we'll do with your input: We plan to post these photos and descriptions (with your permission) on the View Guidelines Committee webpage at Somerset98006.org to facilitate community-wide review and discussion. If you would prefer to submit your views without them being posted publicly, we're happy to honor that request. Once we've gathered a representative range of community input, the committee will host a public forum (via Zoom or in person) to discuss how to define and apply the concept of a "view" as it relates to the Protective Covenants and the updated guidelines. Your voice and your views matter—please help shape the future of Somerset by participating in this important initiative. For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or visit the View Guidelines Committee page on the Somerset website located at Somerset98006.org under the Get Involved / Committees tab. We will be discussing the views submitted in our next View Guidelines Committee open Zoom meeting on June 5, 2025. Stay tuned for the invitation to this important meeting. Warm regards, The Somerset View Guidelines Committee |
Categories
All
Archives
June 2025
|
