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City Council

BEL-CON-2025-01-13 January 13, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham City Council eliminated minimum parking requirements citywide through passage of Ordinance #2025-01-001 in a 5-2 vote, concluding a contentious public hearing that drew 29 speakers and lasted over three hours. The interim ordinance removes automobile parking minimums while establishing consistent bicycle parking standards across all land uses and zones in the city, representing one of the most significant zoning changes in Bellingham's recent history. The meeting featured intense public debate over housing affordability, with many speakers arguing the parking reform should be tied to explicit affordability requirements. Director Blake Lyon presented the ordinance as part of Mayor Lund's broader housing executive order, emphasizing that eliminating parking minimums could unlock housing production more effectively than other policy tools combined. He cited Seattle data showing 70% of recent developments would not have occurred without relaxed parking requirements. Despite broad support from housing advocates, environmental groups, and some business leaders, the ordinance faced significant opposition from disability advocates, caregivers, and residents concerned about neighborhood impacts. Council Members Anderson and Lilliquist voted against the measure, expressing concerns about the lack of affordability provisions and potential equity impacts on disabled residents who rely on cars for mobility. The council amended the ordinance to remove a controversial requirement for ADA parking in developments with no parking, addressing concerns about feasibility in dense urban areas like downtown and Fairhaven. An attempted amendment by Lilliquist to require sidewalk infrastructure and on-street parking before parking waivers could apply failed 0-7, with councilmembers citing concerns about limiting gentle infill development.

**Ordinance #2025-01-001 - Parking Reform (AB 24375): PASSED 5-2** - Eliminates minimum automobile parking requirements citywide - Establishes consistent bicycle parking standards for new development - One-year interim ordinance allowing staff to study impacts - Staff recommendation: Approve. Council action: Approved with amendments - Removes estimated $20,000 per parking space cost burden from development **Amendment - ADA Parking Requirement: PASSED 6-1** - Removed requirement for at least one ADA stall in all new construction regardless of parking provided - Anderson opposed, citing disability community concerns - Addresses feasibility issues in dense downtown areas **Amendment - Sidewalk/Par…

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The parking reform ordinance generated the most substantive policy debate, centering on the relationship between housing production and affordability. Director Lyon argued that eliminating parking requirements unlocks housing development capacity more than any other single policy tool, citing national studies showing 40-70% increases in housing production. He emphasized that the cost savings alone ($20,000 per space) is insufficient - the real benefit comes from additional development capacity on existing lots. Council Member Anderson advocated strongly for tying parking reform to affordability requirements, proposing that developments gaining additional units through reduced parking provide 3-5 units at 80% Area Median Income for 10 years. She argued this would create a "win-win" where developers still profit while the community gains desperately needed workforce housing. Anderson noted that 15,000 housing units below 100% AMI are needed but aren't being built by nonprofits alone. Council Member Lilliquist expressed nuanced concerns about equity impacts, arguing the ordinance crea…
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**Support for Ordinance:** - **Ben Beasley (Talbot Group CEO):** Provided data showing hundreds of empty office parking spaces at Barkley Village designed under old codes; noted 142-unit apartment project stalled partly due to parking requirements - **Jamie Nagosti (resident):** Argued parking requirements slow housing cost increases by 40-70%; noted 12-year multifamily tax exemption has produced zero affordable units in 14 years - **David Urbina (Walk & Roll Bellingham):** Emphasized safety and equity benefits; parking mandates lead to oversupply reducing walkability and increasing car dependence - **Scott Pelton (resident):** Called parking minimums "zoning equivalent of requiring every home to have a horse stable" based on outdated assumptions **Opposition/Concerns:** - **Dr. Susan Cain-Ronning (psychologist):** Detailed extensive research on housing insecurity's impact on children; u…
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**Blake Lyon, on parking costs:** "Each one of those spaces becomes $20,000. When you start talking about what can be affordable at that 80% of area median income or below, you're talking about maybe $300,000 or less. So the delta that you're trying to make up is roughly in that $150,000 to $200,000 range and a $20,000 parking stall doesn't make up for that gap." **Council Member Anderson, on equity concerns:** "All neighborhoods are not created equal. We're a conglomerate of multiple small to…
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**Immediate Implementation:** - Ordinance takes effect 15 days after passage (by end of January 2025) - One-year interim period for staff to study and analyze impacts - Staff will return with final ordinance recommendations in late 2025 **Follow-up Actions Scheduled:** - January 27, 2025: Public hearing on surplus property sale (Cornwall Avenue and Pine Street parcel) - January 23, 2025: Countywide comprehensive planning meeting in Ferndale (3-5 PM) - February 28, 2025: Lake Whatcom watershed property acquisitions cl…

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**Zoning Code Transformation:** - Bellingham eliminated all minimum automobile parking requirements citywide, joining cities like Minneapolis, Buffalo, and Austin in comprehensive parking reform - New bicycle parking standards now apply to all development, prioritizing alternative transportation infrastructure - Developers can now determine appropriate parking levels based on market demand rather than municipal mandates **Development Economics Shift:** - Estimated $20,000 per parking space cost removed from development budgets - Additional building capacity unlocked on existing lots previously limited by parking requirements - Talbot Group's 142-unit apartment project and similar stalled developments can now move forward **Policy Framework Evolution:** - Interim ordinance establishes one-year study pe…
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--- # The Great Parking Debate: Bellingham Eliminates Minimum Requirements After Intense Public Deliberation On a cold Monday evening in January, the Bellingham City Council chambers was packed to capacity for what would become one of the most consequential housing policy decisions in the city's recent history. After months of debate, dozens of public comments, and passionate testimony from residents on both sides, the council voted 5-2 to eliminate minimum parking requirements citywide — a bold step toward addressing the community's housing crisis. The January 13, 2025 meeting stretched nearly four hours, with 29 people speaking during public comment and another seven during the general public comment period. The intensity of engagement reflected the stakes: supporters argued the change would unlock much-needed housing development, while critics worried about impacts on neighborhoods and vulnerable residents who depend on cars. ## The Policy Framework: What Changed The ordinance adopted by council eliminates minimum automobile parking requirements across all areas of the city while establishing consistent bicycle parking standards. Planning and Community Development Director Blake Lyon framed the change as part of a broader suite of housing reforms, noting this was "the first of several that work in concert with one another" under Mayor Lund's executive order. The interim ordinance will be in effect for one year while staff studies its impacts and develops permanent regulations. Lyon emphasized that devel…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council met on January 13, 2025, for their regular evening meeting, with the primary focus on a major public hearing regarding the elimination of automobile parking requirements citywide. The Council ultimately approved an interim ordinance removing parking minimums and establishing consistent bicycle parking standards, despite significant public debate about the lack of affordability provisions. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Interim Ordinance:** A temporary regulation that stays in effect for one year while the city studies impacts and develops permanent rules. **Parking Minimums:** Requirements that force developers to build a certain number of parking spaces for new buildings, regardless of whether those spaces are needed or used. **ADA Parking:** Accessible parking spaces required by the Americans with Disabilities Act for people with mobility disabilities. **Supply-Side Economics:** The theory that increasing the supply of housing will automatically make housing more affordable, though critics argue this doesn't guarantee affordability at specific income levels. **Area Median Income (AMI):** A measure used to determine housing affordability, with affordable housing typically targeting households at 80% or below AMI. **SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act):** Washington state law requiring environmental review of certain development projects. **Design Review:** A process where proposed developments are evaluated for compliance with city standards and community design guidelines. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huffman | Council President | | Kim Lund | Mayor (participated remotely) | | Blake Lyon | Planning and Community Development Director | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member (opposed the ordinance) | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member (opposed the ordinance) | | Hannah Stone | Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Council Member | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member | ### Background Context Belli…
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Housing Land Use & Planning Transportation & Infrastructure Government Operations AB 24375 AB 24386 AB 24393 Bellingham Tenants Union Sierra Club Strong Towns Talbot Group Walk Roll Bellingham Ben Beasley Blake Lyon Hollie Huffman Jamie Nagosti Ken Flint Kim Lund Lisa Anderson Michael Lilliquist Susan Cain Ronning Accessibility Ada Affordable Housing Budget Finance Environmental Benefits Housing Policy Land Use Policy Middle Housing Parking Minimums Transportation Policy Zoning