Kids & Family

Welcome Eastgate, Tamara Hills and Horizon View! Bellevue Council Approves Annexation

Bellevue will annex the neighborhoods of Eastgate, Tamara Hills and Horizon View. The change officially takes place June 1. The city will grow by 5,400 new residents.

Bellevue City Council unanimously voted to include the unincorporated neighborhoods of  part of the city. The annexation takes effect on June 1, according to city officials.

The annexation means the city will grow by about 5,400 new residents, 1,850 households and 700 acres, according to information by the city of Bellevue. That is a larger area than the last major annexation, of the 523-acre West Lake Sammamish neighborhood in 2001, according to city staff.

"It's been a long time coming," said Deputy Mayor Jennifer Robertson. "I'm so happy to welcome these areas into Bellevue. This is really going to be wonderful to be one Bellevue."

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"We're absolutely thrilled," added Councilmember John Chelminiak, who thanked city staff for their work. "It's the right thing to do. You should be part of the city and the city should be part of you," he told residents of the three neighborhoods Monday.

The King County Council also on Monday gave its OK to the transfer of the neighborhoods to the city.

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“Today's action regarding the annexation of Eastgate, Tamara Hills, Horizon Hills and Hilltop neighborhoods in Bellevue is a great accomplishment for both the neighbors and the county,” said King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague, whose district includes these neighborhoods, in a prepared statement. “These neighborhoods are the last unincorporated urban ‘island’ in District 6 and the citizens will benefit immensely by getting more services for less cost.”

The annexation is the last major one for Bellevue, according to city staff.

The neighborhood of Hilltop remains an island of non-Bellevue in the middle of Bellevue, even though that neighborhood had been under consideration when this most recent annexation process began. The neighborhood has asked the city to remain under the King County Habitat regulations.

The council has approved a pre-annexation agreement and two other agreements related to Water District 117, which supplies Hilltop's water, according to city staff.

If Hilltop residents submit enough direct petitions, their annexation could take effect on July 31.

The annexation of Eastgate, Tamara Hills and Horizon View is expected to cost the city $1.34 million more annually to provide services than it takes in from taxes and other revenue generated by the new neighborhoods. However, a state sales tax credit means the city will be able to make up those costs for the next 10 years, according to city officials.

The areas are south of Interstate 90 and bounded on all sides by Bellevue. 

Several events are planned to welcome the new residents into the city, including:

  • Council reception, from 7:30 to 8 p.m., June 18, outside Council Chambers at City Hall.
  • Drop-in meetings, from 10 a.m. to noon on June 19, and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on June 20, at Newport Way Library; and from 10 a.m. to noon, June 21, at the South Bellevue Community Center.
  • Community Celebration, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on July 26 at the South Bellevue Community Center. It will include free classes and kids' activities, refreshments, prizes and entertainment.

-- Information from the  and King County


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