Capital Facilities and Urban Services

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See our latest Capital Facilities and Urban Services chapter updates and provide feedback.

Capital Facilities and Utilities: Existing chapter (Proposed to be updated to "Capital Facilities and Urban Services" in 2025 plan)

Capital facilities and urban services contribute to Bellingham's quality of life. Delivering and maintaining public facilities and services are essential to providing the Bellingham community with a vibrant place to live, work, and play.

Capital facilities and urban services include:

  • Public facilities, including but not limited to, street lighting systems, traffic signals, water and sanitary sewer facilities, stormwater systems, government buildings, schools, streets, and sidewalks.
  • Public services, such as fire protection and emergency services, law enforcement, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services such as the museum and the library.
  • Private utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and gas lines.

The primary role of this chapter is to plan for adequate levels of service (LOS) using a six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). LOS is a measure of the minimum amount of public facility which must be provided to meet the community’s basic needs and expectations.

Because not all facilities are owned and managed by the City, City staff work closely with other public and private entities and utility providers in updating this chapter.

It should be noted that operational policies for many public services such as police, fire, and schools are outside the scope of the Bellingham Plan, as they each have their own planning processes and documents. With regard to these topics, the Comprehensive Plan therefore includes only general policies that integrate with broad land use planning, rather than specific facilities-planning policies.

What changes will happen in the Bellingham Plan?

State law requires the City of Bellingham to plan for capital facilities and utility services in our comprehensive plan. Therefore, the Bellingham Plan will continue to include goals and policies that ensure that new development has enough public facilities and services to serve people living in Bellingham. In summary, the Bellingham Plan will include the following:

  • An inventory of existing capital facilities.
  • A forecast of future needs for capital facilities.
  • The proposed capacities of expanded or new capital facilities.
  • A plan to finance capital facilities.
  • Coordination with other chapters.

Related Past Events:

“Vibrant, Equitable, and Welcoming Community” provided an opportunity to talk about how City services can better serve the needs of the public and be more accessible and inclusive to all. “How We Will Grow” looked at Bellingham’s different growth approaches over the next 20 years, which will influence capital facilities and utility needs. We need to plan for adequate levels of service to serve the population as we grow.

See our latest Capital Facilities and Urban Services chapter updates and provide feedback.

Capital Facilities and Utilities: Existing chapter (Proposed to be updated to "Capital Facilities and Urban Services" in 2025 plan)

Capital facilities and urban services contribute to Bellingham's quality of life. Delivering and maintaining public facilities and services are essential to providing the Bellingham community with a vibrant place to live, work, and play.

Capital facilities and urban services include:

  • Public facilities, including but not limited to, street lighting systems, traffic signals, water and sanitary sewer facilities, stormwater systems, government buildings, schools, streets, and sidewalks.
  • Public services, such as fire protection and emergency services, law enforcement, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services such as the museum and the library.
  • Private utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and gas lines.

The primary role of this chapter is to plan for adequate levels of service (LOS) using a six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). LOS is a measure of the minimum amount of public facility which must be provided to meet the community’s basic needs and expectations.

Because not all facilities are owned and managed by the City, City staff work closely with other public and private entities and utility providers in updating this chapter.

It should be noted that operational policies for many public services such as police, fire, and schools are outside the scope of the Bellingham Plan, as they each have their own planning processes and documents. With regard to these topics, the Comprehensive Plan therefore includes only general policies that integrate with broad land use planning, rather than specific facilities-planning policies.

What changes will happen in the Bellingham Plan?

State law requires the City of Bellingham to plan for capital facilities and utility services in our comprehensive plan. Therefore, the Bellingham Plan will continue to include goals and policies that ensure that new development has enough public facilities and services to serve people living in Bellingham. In summary, the Bellingham Plan will include the following:

  • An inventory of existing capital facilities.
  • A forecast of future needs for capital facilities.
  • The proposed capacities of expanded or new capital facilities.
  • A plan to finance capital facilities.
  • Coordination with other chapters.

Related Past Events:

“Vibrant, Equitable, and Welcoming Community” provided an opportunity to talk about how City services can better serve the needs of the public and be more accessible and inclusive to all. “How We Will Grow” looked at Bellingham’s different growth approaches over the next 20 years, which will influence capital facilities and utility needs. We need to plan for adequate levels of service to serve the population as we grow.

Page last updated: 04 Nov 2024, 02:56 PM