The Bellevue City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 19 to consider changes to the city’s helicopter landing regulations. It also voted down two proposals: one that would have placed an immediate moratorium on helistop and helipad construction, and the other, a code amendment that would have banned all non-emergency helicopter flight in the city.
The decisions bare no impact on a helistop permit currently under review. On Nov. 2 the council will rule in a case between Kemper Developments, which has obtained a conditional permit to place a helistop atop the downtown Bank of America building, and an opposition activist group concerned about noise and safety. (For more information about the opposition effort, check out Northwest Hub’s coverage here.)
The council votes are a mixed bag for anti-helicopter activists such as the group Bellevue Heli-Stop. The unanimous decision to consider changes to the helicopter landing regulations are a boon, and fit strongly into the group’s long-term goals, but the “no” votes on an immediate moratorium and code amendments are defeats.
