The City of Bellevue has issued a Notice of Application for a proposed update to the Ashwood Park Master Plan and is currently conducting an environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Located at 10875 NE 12th Street near the Bellevue Library, Ashwood Park sits in the city’s downtown core and covers approximately 3.82 acres.
The update is a non-project action, meaning there is no construction scheduled at this time. The purpose of the review is to guide long-term planning for future development of the park. The proposed update includes one preferred alternative along with other design options under consideration.
The preferred plan, known as Alternative F, includes the following elements:
- 1.25 acres of open lawn and plaza
- A 0.25- to 0.5-acre off-leash dog area
- A children’s play area ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 square feet
- Two picnic shelters
- An expanded walking path system
- Parking and loading zones
- Additional landscaping throughout the park
In February 2025, the Bellevue Parks & Community Services Board voted unanimously to recommend Alternative F and the formal adoption of the name “Ashwood Park” to the City Council. The board cited the design’s formal play area next to the library, surrounding walking paths, and urban layout similar to Downtown Park as reasons for the recommendation. They also noted that the plan would better serve both the downtown neighborhood and the broader Bellevue community.
Ashwood Park currently includes a large grass field, hardscaped plazas, and a parking lot shared by Bellevue Library, KidsQuest Children’s Museum, and park visitors. The site includes the area south of the library plaza, Ashwood Plaza at NE 10th Street and 110th Avenue NE, and buffer zones north of the library lot.
The park was originally purchased in 1986 through a partnership with the King County Library System and was later divided into the library and park portions. The City Council adopted the first site plan in 1990, but evolving development patterns and increasing community interest in downtown open space have led to several efforts to revisit the plan.
Past studies in 2000–2002 and again in 2011–2013 raised issues related to population growth and neighborhood needs. Community calls to “Keep Ashwood Green” followed plans for nearby fire station development, prompting the City Council to direct a full update of the master plan.
The updated master plan process is expected to take approximately two years to complete. The City has stated it will continue to work with the public to help shape the final version of the park design.
