Bellingham Plan Chapters

Zoning is a traditional method of ensuring quality of life and protecting home owner investments, proven by 200 year tradition. Strong zoning allows home owners to enjoy a quality of life while protecting their single biggest investment. Bellingham's proposed 'open zoning' will wipe that out, condemning any area to frat house lifestyles.

Climate mitigation measures are not needed and accomplish nothing except taking money from hard working people. There is absolutely NOTHING that City of Bellingham can accomplish with Carbon Fuel bans or limits on personal automobiles that will ever result in a measurable decline in atmospheric CO2, however such measure will ensure the poverty of many citizens. The earth's climate has always changed, there are much greater influences than greenhouse gases, and man made contribution is a fraction of a percentage of greenhouse gases, less than natural occurring variations. All of this is easily verified. If the millionaires who are promoting global warming myths were sincere, they would not be locating their personal residences on the ocean front .

Removed by moderator.

I would like to say that the survey did not include anything for feeling how our city is dealing with homeless and so there was nowhere to comment.. Having been a lifetime resident I will say there is still no plan for the homeless crisis in Bellingham. Specifically the homeless camps and where you will move those people to? I do not see that fitting into your urban plans due to safety of citizens, store workers or shoppers? Please be transparent with everyone about that part of the plan.

The GMA and the current comprehensive plan require open space corridors within and between UGAs useful for recreation, wildlife habitat, trails and connection of critical areas. (RCW 36.70A.160 and Policy LU-59) Your November 2024 Land Use Chapter Update identifies shifting an area between Bellingham and Ferndale from UGA to UGA Reserve. We identified an open space corridor in our letter dated August 23, 2024 and previously commented that we believe designating it as a UGA Reserve would be inconsistent with the need for a wildlife habitat corridor and connection of critical areas. See attached map indicating an area we believe should be studied for removal from the UGA and designation as an open space corridor.

We would like this update to the Bellingham Plan to identify the vision for where growth will go beyond this planning period. For a good example, we turn to Boulder, Colorado where in 1959, the community established the “Blue Line” restricting water lines from being extended into the foothills. Developers found loopholes, so the community passed a sales tax in 1967 to create an open space greenbelt (“Green Line”) around the community, resulting in over 45,000 acres of open space and 148 miles of trails within the city.

Where is Bellingham’s Green Line?

Your draft growth strategy appears to break through the Green Line identified in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (see attached Open Space Map). The Open Space Plan clearly identifies open space at the outside edges of the Urban Growth Area, including the North and South Bellingham UGA Reserve areas you are considering adding for urban growth.

We have created two maps (attached) which insert conceptual plans from Caitac, USA . Caitac’s proposal would impact designated Open Space Corridors, would be adjacent to Agricultural Lands and Rural Study Areas, and would merge with Limited Areas of More Intense Rural Development (LAMIRDs). Expansion into the UGA Reserve would have less conflicts, but a vision of open space outside the UGA should preclude their expansion of urban development to Smith Road.

If Bellingham expands the UGAs, we encourage specific language in the Plan to designate a “Green Line” where open space or resource lands are permanently protected.

There needs to me more measures in preserving the greenery especially the trees that are cut down for more buildings.

I support infill within the City, capital improvement investments for infrastructure, and opening up Urban Growth Area Reserves for new communities.

I support infill within the City, capital improvement investments for infrastructure, and opening up Urban Growth Area Reserves for new communities.

I am concerned that the focus is to "reduce barriers to build housing," rather than to reduce barriers to housing. Housing regulations are important for keeping people and the environment safe. We need low barrier housing and shelter, and affordable housing, but not unregulated building. We need rent control! Wages do not increase apace with rent, and rent increases every year. Aside from the difficulty of getting into housing, maintaining stability of the housing you are in is difficult when you don't know if you will be able to continue to afford your home when the lease is up. What is affordable when you move in can quickly move out of your budget.
The term "business friendly culture" sounds like a euphemism for removing unhoused people from view. Downtown is very safe, and unhoused people do not make it unsafe, nor are they responsible for businesses closing. Using unhoused folks as a scapegoat is not acceptable. We are all part of the same community and must care of each other. We need more low/no-barrier shelters, and daytime shelters. Some cities have also installed lockers that allow people without homes to store their belongings safely.

We also need more places for people to be that don't cost money! For youth, for adults, for elders, for families. It would be great to have community and recreation centers that give us a chance to build community without financial barriers. I would personally really like accessibility information (grade of the trail, material of the trail, width, etc.) about city parks to be easily displayed and filterable on the website. For great examples of accessibility information, the disabled hikers guide to Washington is awesome.
More frequent transit would be lovely, especially in the areas where buses only come every hour. I love the every 15 minute routes! Please do not have bike lanes disappear mid-street.
As we move into the next four years, enshrining values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is more important than ever. Let's protect our queer, trans, BIPOC, and migrant community members and all of our rights to bodily autonomy.

While reducing barriers to getting people into housing, please do NOT reduce environmental and other essential regulations regarding development of housing. We need more access to housing for low income folks, but do not want to waive all the important checks and balances on what developers can do.
We need rent control! Wages are not increasing as quickly as rental rates are. And many landlords charge “administrative fees” of $200, plus an application fee, plus water/garbage/sewage on top of the stated rent. And it’s hard to have stable housing when you’re not sure if you can afford the next rent increase.
Does “business friendly culture” mean that you sweep the unhoused out of sight of businesses and their customers? Instead of hiding this problem, let’s solve it! We need accessible housing for all. Housing first! Once people are safe, warm, dry, fed and not having to move constantly, they can begin to consider how they want to live. While I very much applaud the addition of more night-time shelter options, it’s heartbreaking to see all the folks hitting the streets in the morning.
Let’s create more free places to hang out. Libraries and parks are great examples. How about more library branches around the city? And community centers where we might hold a neighborhood potluck or performances.
We need fresh food options accessible in every neighborhood. We should be able to use our leverage to encourage/insist that grocery chains locate stores in areas currently lacking access.
What do we need to do to be ready for the next 4+ years? How can we become a true sanctuary city and make sure Bellingham is a safe and welcoming place for folks regardless of where we come from, how we identify, who we love, how much money we have?
How can the city work more closely with the Port to ensure that there are no more decisions made that are bad for the environment and the community, like the ABC shredder proposal? What the Port does affects all of us, especially those who live nearby.

I support the Planning Department’s proposed housing strategy. Specifically, the incorporation of the North Bellingham UGA Reserve Area into the city UGA. The incorporation of this area would meet many of the city’s goals. The UGA Reserve Area does not impede viable farmland, wetlands, nor does it affect the percentage of tree canopy. Development in the UGA Reserve Area will not run into limitations of building within areas that require the removal of existing trees that are important to our city’s ecosystem. It actually creates an opportunity to expand the city’s goals of increasing the percentage of tree canopy coverage.

The city is in desperate need of affordable housing, including rentals and homeownership that fill the needs within a variety of income levels. The Larrabee Springs developments are a great example of consistently meeting many of the city’s goals by creating developments that are green, efficient, and affordable. The incorporation of the North Bellingham UGA Reserve Area into the city’s UGA will allow for expansion within that area and the development of urban villages, which can help to foster healthy neighborhood communities.

In order to accommodate the influx of housing within the city and the county, expanded and efficient public transportation must evolve. Our current infrastructure has exceeded its maximum safe capacity as demonstrated regularly by the serious and dangerous congestion in certain areas within the city and around the county. There is consistently fewer parking spaces provided within multi-family developments and within newer housing developments. The Cordata area has a bus station that already connects the Lynden and Ferndale areas. It is only natural to expand transportation services between Lynden and Ferndale via the North Bellingham UGA Reserve Area.

My problem with the Bellingham Plan, like the majority of the planning department's output, is its failure to address noise pollution. It's understandable, they leave the cities wholly subjective noise code enforcement to a police department that has no formal training and lacks any objective measurement capability. This system ensures noise control is inadequate, and post construction making it a permanent planning tragedy.
When it comes to noise protection no Bellingham Plan should be considered competent. If anyone decides to take this seriously I'm available to help.

Dear Council,
My family and I are in full support of these measures of expansion of the grown boundaries and the supply of city services to these areas in a timely manner to adequately supply housing not just for my children but for their children. Please give them the opportunity that I have had to live here in Whatcom County!
Jeff Baker

I would like to echo the comments of Daniel Lerner, regarding the need to include in the plan support by the City of Bellingham for the work of artists in our community, of all kinds. Truly, it is remarkable to find such a wealth of committed, talented artists of every type, in a community the size of Bellingham! I moved here 15 years ago, and while I find there is much to love about this beautiful place, I am continually amazed by, and deeply grateful for the rich artistic offerings it provides. The amazing thing to me is that local and visiting talent from near and far who work in the arts receive so little support from Bellingham city and county leaders. Why is this? Arts bring wealth to us all, through the pleasure, wisdom and thought-provoking experience arts provide; or the restaurants, hotels, shops who benefit from people attracted to our town to enjoy Bellingham arts.

Please address this important issue in the Bellingham Plan. The current silence in the Plan on this subject is significant omission, one that can be easily corrected.

Thank you for your consideration.

I can't see where there is anything in this about how we are going to help our homeless fellow citizens. They need so many things and...and we need to actively help them. We have now moved many out of the downtown area and out of the encampment behind Walmart, where are they to go. Is this addressed in The Bellingham Plan? How are we going to find housing and help for these people? San Francisco has a plan that addresses some of these challenges, The Homelessness and Supportive program that we should look into. They have had some problems, ones we could learn from, but they are helping people.
.
Along with that idea, one kind of housing that would be cheaper to build is small apartments in higher rise buildings, with elevators. These kinds of structures that would cost less to build. When I moved here in late 2020, the motel we stayed in during our first 10 days, had homeless families living there. If we build more 'high' rise apartments for housing the transitional homeless, we could provide them with a better place to live while they transition, in a more dignified and thoughtful manner...and probably cheaper.

Further along using this approach to building, in all big cities there is little expectation that one is going to have access to home through a ground level entrance. Why do all homes here have to have that idea. Those starting out could buy smaller places, located in higher rise buildings, to live in , and later upgrade to larger home. And, possibly, as time goes by, those types of housing might even serve the elderly, when they retire and want to downsize. Locating these types of buildings near transport and activities would even enhance their appeal.

Back to our homeless fellow Americans, we just can't clear encampments or the downtown area and expect these people to disappear in a cloud of smoke. They are all still here and we absolutely need to have their needs addressed in any new budgets and plans. They need, not just housing, but other support to help them get back their lives. Helping them should be a thoughtful part of any plan this City has.
Where in the plan is this addressed?

Priorities:
- Reduce barriers to build housing. Ensure Bellingham has the supply necessary for the demand as growth continues. Otherwise, it is likely that only wealthier individuals will be able to move to or stay in Bellingham.
- Invest in common recreational amenities such as swimming pools, turf fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, etc. Bellingham has significant greenspace recreation amenities/opportunities (trails, forested parks, etc) - which is great, but lacks in access to common recreational amenities such as swimming pools, turf fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, etc. These amenities provide additional outlets for youth and adults.
- Make I-5 thru Bellingham more safe, or slow down drivers on I-5 during periods of heavy traffic. As someone who drives on I-5 between Sunset and Samish everyday at 5pm, it is concerning to see weekly (almost daily) traffic accidents. As someone who has lived or commuted in major cities much larger than Bellingham for over a decade, I have never seen so many incidents on such a short stretch of highway. The amount of incidents is unacceptable. I am uncertain that one could find a 2mi stretch of highway in the Seattle metro area that experiences the same volume of traffic incidents as I-5 thru Bellingham.

I would like to see the urban growth areas to be able to be zoned for more indoor athletic facilities and not have to be tied to a government entity.

Good, golly, THE ARTS?!
I’ve been working full-time in the arts in Bellingham for 30 years, and so have most of the people I know. It’s crazy that there is no mention of our vibrant theater, music, and fine arts programs, and institutions!

More specific details in these chapters would be good. The outline is generally vague and I don't think it provides a strong roadmap. Economic development should have increased priority and should include specific areas of growth- i.e. service, industrial/manufacturing, professional services.

There should be an increased focus on housing for families that can be purchased instead of rental units / apartments for students as this will continue to build a cohesive community. Is it possible to create incentives for homebuyers and new businesses if they are co-located (i.e. support with small business loans at reduced rates) in buildings? The job market in Bellingham doesn't support the housing and start up costs to bring in new economic development and sustained business.

Multiple level housing needs to include elevators or lifts for those with disabilities and seniors. Bellingham has so many apartments, townhouses and condos with stairs only.

I support the planning departments proposed plan, particularly the focus on increasing housing density infill and building infrastructure we need in order to support that increased density. Also appreciate the focus on the UGA reserves. We need more housing to decrease homelessness and make Bellingham affordable for working families. I would particularly like to see downtown Bellingham increase apartments to take some of the pressure of the folks who don't necessarily want to live in a house but are forced to room with others because its so much cheaper. I would rather see the rural county stay rural and Bellingham density increase.