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On Monday, April 13, the Bellevue City Council held a study session on Old Bellevue Parking. Charlie Klinge, MBNA’s attorney, spoke about the Association’s proposal to use the Bayvue East property for Waterfront Park and Old Bellevue merchant parking. Here are excerpts from his presentation.
“MBNA wants to see the Park completed sooner rather than later, and has promoted a natural, pedestrian oriented Park with more grass and picnic areas and less commercialization and dense development. MBNA’s involvement led to the City Council’s adoption of a special Chapter in the Park Plan known as the Implementation Principles.
The Park is planned to begin just west of the Chevron Station at the southwest corner of Main and 100th Avenue. That is the site of the Bayvue Village Apartments purchased by the City in 2007. The Park Plan designs a grand entrance plaza at that location. But, the City’s purchase of the corner Apartments included what is called the Bayvue East Apartments across the street and south of the Chevron Station.
The Bayvue East Apartments are not part of the Park Plan. MBNA pointed out during the Park Planning that the Bayvue East site could be developed as a parking lot for less cost than the structured parking options proposed in the Park Plan. The site may support 50-60 surface parking spaces and more with a parking structure.
Other aspects of the Park Plan have the potential of causing serious negative consequences to parking and traffic in Old Bellevue. The Park Plan did not provide adequate parking which will cause visitors to park in Old Bellevue or in the neighborhoods. The adopted Park Plan would eliminate 50-70 parking spaces at the Marina, which is the most convenient location for Marina and future beach users. Instead, the Park Plan proposes to build expensive structured parking at the Bayvue Village Apartment site and under the proposed and unneeded event center at lake Washington Boulevard and 99th Avenue. The far better option is to add 50-60 parking spaces at Bayvue East.
The decision on parking at the Marina and a dozen other important decisions will be made:
- Will street parking be allowed or eliminated?
- Will 100th Avenue SE be closed causing more traffic on Main?
- Will the City build an 8,000 square foot event center on Lake Washington Boulevard at 99th Avenue hosting 300-500 person weddings and other events every night of the week?
MBNA urges the City Council, City Staff, and Old Bellevue interests to expand the debate to include parking at the Bayvue East site and to consider changes to the Park Plan to reduce parking and traffic impacts on Old Bellevue.”
