Critical Areas Land Use Permits
A preapplication conference is required prior to applying for a Critical Areas Land Use Permit (LO). During the preapplication conference, City of Bellevue staff will guide you through the development process and help you understand the code standards, guidelines and policies that will apply to your proposal.
A Critical Areas Land Use Permit can be a standalone application but is also often combined with the other land use applications that require a preapplication conference. The review comments, direction, and submittal requirements that staff will be able to provide will be based on the quality of information submitted by the applicant. Incomplete proposals and environmental information may not allow staff to provide sufficient direction or confirmation of submittal requirements. Feasibility exploration and post-preapplication meeting questions must be submitted as a predevelopment service application.
For information on preapplication submittal requirements please contact the land use division. For assistance in submitting your information to the city, refer to Electronic Plan Requirements and Electronic Review Efficiency.
Step 1: Arrange a preapplication conference
- Contact the land use division to schedule a preapplication conference date and time.
- Apply for your preapplication conference permit online at MyBuildingPermit.com.
Step 2: Submit your plans and documents:
- Submit the following items at least 21 days before your conference date. These items should be provided in order
Questions
- A list of specific questions you would like answered by the city review team. The review team may include representatives from Fire, Utilities, Transportation, Clearing & Grading, Building and Land Use.
Preliminary Critical Areas Analysis and Identification Reports
- Provide any initial reconnaissance reports, past reports and delineations, or other information that identifies critical areas, buffers, and setbacks, on the site. Highly recommended to allow confirmation of submittal requirements. See LUC 20.25H for more information on critical areas.
Project Narrative
- Provide a description of the existing conditions, including critical areas on or near the site as well as any buffers or setbacks required
- Describe the project, proposed access, proposed utilities locations, any vegetation removal, and how the project complies with zoning dimensional requirements
- Describe any anticipated impacts to critical areas, buffers, or setbacks and how the project avoids or minimizes impacts
- Indicate if the Critical Areas Land Use Permit will be combined with other land use applications and describe the proposal under these applications as well. If so, please reference the submittal requirements for those preapplication meetings
Project Narrative – If combined with another land use application
- In addition to preapplication requirements for these applications please also provide a density calculation per LUC 20.25H and describe how the proposal meets requirements for conservation subdivision and/or avoids and minimizes impacts. Describe how any open space and recreation space requirements are protect or respond to the critical area requirements.
Boundary and Topographic Survey
- It is recommended that a complete boundary and topographic survey be provided. If no survey is provided, the level of certainty that staff can provide is reduced.
- A survey must be provided if the proposal will create new lot or dwelling units in order to calculate the proposed density can be approved
Site Plan
A site plan is needed to show the existing site, site features, improvements and proposed development. The plan should be drawn to a scale 1:50 (minimum) – 1:30 (maximum) and contain the following:
- Property Lines - Show and dimension all property lines.
- Structures and Improvements - Show the location and size (overall square footage) of all existing and proposed structures and improvements and identify the use.
- Easements - Show and dimension all existing easements. Check your title report and/or plat map to identify easements. Easement information can be obtained from a recent title report and/or survey, a plat map, or the King County Records website. Inquire with the City of Bellevue Utilities Department for public utility easements. Note: Failure to indicate dimensions and accurately locate easements may place your project at risk.
- Utilities - Show the location of existing and proposed utilities.
- Streets - Label the existing road surface(s) and show other features of the right of way (including sidewalks, drainage ditches, rockeries, bridges, culverts, curbs and edge of pavement). Include driveways located 50 feet from the edge of the property on both sides of the street.
- Critical Areas - Show streams and top-of-bank, wetlands, 100-year floodplains, floodway, steep slope critical areas and any known landslide hazards, coal mine hazards and seismic hazards. Show and required buffers and structure setback from the critical area on or in vicinity of your property.
- Contours and Elevations - Show existing contour lines at two-foot intervals (unless the site slope is less than 15 percent). Use different line types to distinguish between existing and proposed contour lines.
- Shorelines – Shorelines are not critical areas but should be shown including Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) and the required setbacks from OHWM.
- Trees - Show all trees on the site and indicate any impacts to trees
- Zoning Dimensional Requirements – depict all structure setbacks and provide site calculations to confirm compliance with zoning requirements.
- Impervious and Hard Surfaces - Show walkways, parking areas, path surfaces, driveways, etc.
- Plat Restrictions and Conditions - This information is available from the Bellevue Permit Center or on the King County Records website.
Building Elevations
- Provide conceptual building elevations of proposed structures and proposed height in compliance with any zoning limits. If buildings proposed are subject to design review describe their design, materials, colors, glazing and compatibility with surrounding development. Also see Building Elevation requirements.