Neighborhoods

Forest Service / Mount Si Neighborhood

The Forest Service / Mount Si Neighborhood is a residential and commercial mixed neighborhood located southeast of downtown. The neighborhood is bisected by North Bend Way and the vacant Burlington Northern Railroad corridor/Tanner Trail, with residential uses predominantly south of North Bend Way and commercial uses north of North Bend Way. Primary existing public uses include the U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station Complex, the City of North Bend Public Works site, and Fire Station 87. 

Formerly Highway 10, this area developed along its length as an auto-oriented commercial strip, with motels, service stations, restaurants, and mobile home parks. As such, it exhibits the effect of auto-oriented "strip commercial" development with numerous egress and ingress points from North Bend Way. These multiple curb cuts are detrimental to public safety, impede the smooth flow of traffic, discourage walking and bicycling, and should be reduced over time through shared-driveways required as a part of redevelopment. Effort should also be made to ensure protection of significant trees located between North Bend Way and Cedar Falls Way, which form a distinct part of the neighborhood’s character.

The neighborhood contains significant vacant and redevelopable areas which are envisioned for the development of cottage housing south of North Bend Way, and a mix of commercial and residential uses north of North Bend Way. 

A key intersection within this neighborhood is at East North Bend Way and SE Mount Si Road. This intersection provides access to the Mt. Si Trailhead. Because this trailhead is a regional draw, attracting over one hundred thousand people each year, retail and commercial opportunities are abundant. This neighborhood will see a demand for Neighborhood Business type uses, serving both the recreationalists and local clientele, and serving as a future neighborhood center. Retail and commercial uses should be pedestrian friendly, concentrated at the intersection, with parking located to rear. Mixed-use development consisting of retail/commercial and residential is encouraged. Residential uses on the north side of North Bend Way at this intersection should be limited to the second story and/or located to the rear of the retail uses.

Forster Woods Neighborhood

The Forster Woods Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood located southwest of downtown and southwest of the I-90 Exit 31 interchange. The area contains the Forster Woods subdivision, both single-family and multi-family, and additional vacant residential and commercial land with moderate development constraints. Adjacent to the freeway intersection, vacant parcels would be developed as land uses suitable to the interchange, such as mixed-use designations to be compatible with adjoining residential areas. Existing environmental constraints must be addressed in any future development that occurs here. The remaining undeveloped lands in the Forster Woods Neighborhood area is proposed at LDR 4 (gross) units per acre on the south side of W Ribary Way and HDR with a density restriction covenant on the north side of W Ribary Way.

Maloney Grove Neighborhood

The Maloney Grove Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood located southeast of downtown and directly west of the Opstad Neighborhood. The southern edge of the neighborhood is bounded by the I-90 right-of-way. The area contains lower density single-family residences. This neighborhood contains areas of vacant and redevelopable land envisioned for low-density residential development. Southern areas of the neighborhood are constrained by the floodplain and floodway. Development of trails along the South Fork levee as redevelopment of these properties occur would provide important extensions of the City’s trail network and enable a safe pedestrian and bicycle connection to other areas of the City. 

Meadowbrook / Tollgate Neighborhood

The Meadowbrook / Tollgate Neighborhood is chiefly characterized by the preserved Meadowbrook and Tollgate Farms, and is designated as an urban separator. Both Meadowbrook Farm and Tollgate Farm are managed consistent with master plans that were developed for each property, as public park and open space areas intended to preserve scenic, historic, and cultural resources, and to be developed for lower intensity recreational activities, with a portion of Tollgate Farm also being developed for active recreation. (See the master plan for each property for more information.) 

The retention of open space and passive and active recreation within the Meadowbrook / Tollgate Urban Separator is an important priority for the City. The urban separator designation has been supported by designating the neighborhood as a development rights transfer sending zone. 

The Meadowbrook neighborhood contains some housing units as well as limited commercial and manufacturing land uses. The neighborhood contains areas of vacant and redevelopable land, and is envisioned as a mix of density of residential uses and lower-intensity commercial uses. Much of the area outside of the publicly owned properties remains vacant. However, this neighborhood is not anticipated to accommodate higher-intensity commercial growth, based on the objectives of the Urban Separator Overlay Zone. Future development in the neighborhood is also constrained by wetland, stream and floodplain critical areas. 

Opstad Neighborhood

The Opstad Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood located southeast of downtown and directly south of the Mount Si Neighborhood. The neighborhood contains lower density single-family homes, Opstad Elementary School, and areas of vacant and redevelopable land. Much of the neighborhood has been “established” by existing residential subdivision patterns and should remain as low-density residential. 

Downtown Neighborhood

The Downtown Neighborhood includes the historic commercial downtown and the original town plat of North Bend, with a mix of commercial and residential uses. The Downtown Neighborhood contains several areas of vacant and re-developable land envisioned for infill projects and is one of the City’s key employment centers for future commercial growth. The City has encouraged investment and improvement in the downtown through a number of ways.

Neighborhood size is generally defined by the walking distance to the neighborhood center. The Downtown Neighborhood has been designated in such a way that jobs, housing and services may be readily available to the local residents, often within walking distance. By encouraging a walkable downtown, a sense of community is affirmed, automotive pollutants are reduced, healthy lifestyles are encouraged, and human interaction is fostered. In addition, the City seeks to reduce urban sprawl as it encourages compact development, helping preserve the natural lands adjacent to the City.

The identification and development of the Downtown Neighborhood within the City occurred with several goals in mind. First, the downtown can be compact and comprised of structures of varying scale. Clustering is to be encouraged to help minimize impacts of conflicting land uses while enhancing the natural features or open spaces within a proposed development. Second, development within the downtown must respect the historic and architectural styles and patterns of development. Streetscape and pedestrian scale are some of the additional components required by the Residential, Commercial, Mixed-Use and Industrial Design Standards adopted May 18, 2010.

In 2000, the City established the Downtown Commercial Historic District, covering seventeen historic buildings. This designation, administered through an interlocal agreement with the King County Historic Preservation Program, is intended to preserve and restore the historic character of the District. The Downtown Commercial Historic District is supported by several programs designed to stimulate maintenance and redevelopment of the designated structures. 

In 2008, the City adopted a Downtown Master Plan. This plan identifies key development opportunity sites, specific infrastructure improvements, traffic and parking recommendations, and regulatory measures to help achieve the plan goals. In addition to the recommendations in the Downtown Master Plan, a future city hall, civic center, and plaza are envisioned in the downtown core, which can serve as a catalyst for further economic development and as a venue for community events. The Downtown Master Plan also recommends gateway features that are intended to draw people in and establish a sense of arrival. The City has achieved many of the Near-Term Projects and Actions identified in the Implementation Timeline of the Downtown Master Plan. These include projects such as: a roundabout at North Bend Way/Cedar Falls; way-finding signs; invasive vegetation removal at Riverfront Park; Downing Avenue Extension; intersection control at Park and North Bend Way; and garbage screening along McClellan, In addition, a new Visitor Information Center (VIC) was built in 2014 at the corner of Bendigo Boulevard and Park Street. 

The City also supports further investment in its downtown core through economic development strategies that foster a synergistic mix of retail, restaurant, nightlife, and service uses, clear and concise guidelines for development, and by developing incentives for infill and redevelopment such as expedited permit processes and reduced impact fees.

In other areas of the Downtown Neighborhood, infill and redevelopment of underutilized properties is expected to occur as property values increase relative to the value of existing structures. Supporting higher-density residential in the Downtown Neighborhood is key to fostering both pedestrian-oriented development and additional market support for further commercial uses. Mixed-use developments are particularly suitable for the Downtown Neighborhood and should be supported and encouraged through appropriate policies.

South Fork Residential Neighborhood

The South Fork Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood located in the City's UGA, south of downtown and east of the South Fork Interchange area. It contains the existing subdivisions of Shamrock Park and Berry Estates. The neighborhood is bounded to the east by the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The neighborhood center is identified as the Exit 31 interchange commercial area within the South Fork Neighborhood to the west. Future development in the neighborhood is constrained by its location within the floodplain, some portions of which are in the floodway. Zoning in the neighborhood should be limited to low-density residential to be compatible with the established development pattern and constraints of the floodplain.

Si View Neighborhood

The Si View Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood located south of downtown and northwest of the Maloney Grove Neighborhood. The western edge of the neighborhood is defined by the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The neighborhood has been largely built-out, and contains minimal area of vacant or redevelopable land, which is envisioned for single family residential use. Portions of the neighborhood are constrained by the floodplain and floodway. The neighborhood center is identified as Si View Park.

Silver Creek Neighborhood

The Silver Creek Neighborhood is characterized by predominately single-family development, and further development should be limited to low-density residential in recognition of the established neighborhood character, its location within the floodplain, and the proximity of a number of floodway channels and critical areas associated with Silver Creek. Effort should be made to secure additional park land adjoining to EJ. Roberts Park as development is proposed. The additional park land will serve the growing number of residents using the park facilities in the Silver Creek Neighborhood.

The Tanner Neighborhood

The Tanner Neighborhood is a predominantly light-industrial neighborhood located southeast of the Forest Service/Mt. Si Neighborhood and the Edgewick Interchange. 

The neighborhood contains significant vacant and redevelopable land suitable for commercial and light-industrial uses and is an area anticipated to accommodate additional employment growth. Special overlay districts within areas of this neighborhood recognize unique site characteristics such as the presence of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and the King County Tanner Landing Park, and therefore allow for a mix of residential and commercial/light industrial uses that wouldn’t otherwise be permitted (see Overlay Districts section below). 

The King County Snoqualmie Valley Trail provides an important pedestrian link through this neighborhood, connecting multiple parts of the City and encouraging bicycle and pedestrian transportation. The future Tanner Trail, within the Burlington Northern Railroad corridor, will provide a similar link along North Bend Way, and future developments that abut or contain this corridor should be constructed to align with and incorporate the trail into the design of the development. The area also has important scenic qualities with views of the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River and Mount Si. Interpretive or historic signage would be appropriate, located in key areas along the corridor to give perspective on the natural and human histories of the area, including that of the Tanner Mill and the former Northern Pacific (Burlington Northern) and Milwaukee Road Railroad Lines.

The Middle Fork Neighborhood

The Middle Fork Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood bounded to the north by the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The City will require that future development of this area provide public access to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River with pedestrian trails that connect residential areas to the river where possible. Remaining development within the Middle Fork Neighborhood should remain as low-density residential. 

The Riverbend Neighborhood

The Riverbend Neighborhood is a residential neighborhood in the Urban Growth Area south of I-90 Exit 32. The neighborhood has been largely built-out, with remaining single-family residential infill and redevelopment potential on existing larger residential lots off 436^th Avenue SE. Private parks within the Riverbend neighborhood provide gathering places, and a golf course with associated restaurant and commercial uses provide additional services just outside the UGA. The Snoqualmie Valley Trail provides an important pedestrian and bicycle link under I-90 from the Riverbend Neighborhood to downtown and other parts of the City.

The Edgewick Neighborhood

The Edgewick Neighborhood is a predominantly light-industrial neighborhood between SE 140^th Street and North Bend Way at the eastern end of the City, and is one of the City’s key employment areas anticipated to accommodate future employment growth. The neighborhood contains significant vacant and redevelopable land suitable for light-industrial and office park development. This area has great potential for increased job development due to its flat topography and excellent freeway access, and proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area. Attention to the most appropriate zoning classifications and land uses is also a significant issue, as the North Bend Vision Plan clearly articulates the City's desire to manage new commercial development with attention to the scale and intensity suitable for a small city. Employment-generating uses should be given preference over larger-scale warehousing and storage uses. The East North Bend Master Plan Overlay District provides additional planning and land use guidance to ensure a well-coordinated mix of office, employment park, research and industrial, and light manufacturing uses, and to coordinate vehicular circulation and site design to minimize adverse impacts to adjacent residential areas and nearby schools. The commercial areas at the Exit 34 interchange form the neighborhood center. Because 468^th Avenue SE serves as the gateway to the popular Middle Fork recreation area, special attention should be paid to ensure that building and site design within this area-although it may be light industrial-retains a small town character and scale consistent with the City’s vision statement.

South Fork Employment

A commercial and light-industrial neighborhood, the South Fork neighborhood includes the Exit 31 interchange commercial area and the large vacant and redevelopable properties between I-90 and North Bend Way in the western end of the City. This neighborhood is one of the City’s primary employment centers and is anticipated to accommodate much of the City’s future employment growth. Key existing uses include Nintendo and North Bend Premium Outlets to the west of Bendigo Boulevard, and the Mountain Valley Center east of Bendigo Boulevard. The neighborhood also serves as a primary gateway into the rest of the City. Maintaining and enhancing the streetscape along Bendigo Boulevard with landscape, lighting, signage, and sidewalk improvements consistent with recommendations in the Downtown Master Plan will help draw people from this area into downtown.

Policies for industrial lands are intended to provide guidance toward identifying adequate land area for job growth and creation, developing parameters to help reduce conflicts between adjoining land uses and providing direction for new development to exhibit sensitivity to the natural environment. Uses in the Interchange Mixed-Use zone are to be limited to less intensive commercial activities that will be more compatible with the residential zoning district surrounding the interchange.