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Bellingham City Council

BEL-CON-2025-02-24 February 24, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham City Council held a comprehensive regular meeting that centered on environmental protection, infrastructure investment, and housing policy development. The most significant action was extending the landmark tree ordinance for six months while adding language to clarify the city's commitment to balancing tree preservation with housing development goals. The council also approved major infrastructure projects including a $1.84 million federal grant for Squalicum Creek fish habitat restoration and adopted a 10-year fiber network plan. Housing policy took center stage with a detailed study session on middle housing options, reflecting Mayor Lund's executive order to accelerate housing development ahead of state mandates. The council received updates on Whatcom County's five-year homeless housing plan and state legislative priorities, including real estate excise tax bills that could provide new funding for affordable housing. The meeting demonstrated the council's ongoing effort to balance environmental stewardship with housing production, as evidenced by the spirited debate over landmark tree ordinance language. Council members ultimately chose to add rather than replace language about climate benefits, reflecting the complexity of these policy tensions. Business included routine approvals of grants, contracts, and appointments, plus the final passage of waste management code updates. The evening concluded with public comment from 16 community members, indicating strong civic engagement on the issues discussed.

**Landmark Tree Ordinance Extension (AB 24442) - PASSED 7-0:** Extended interim development regulations for landmark trees for six months to allow Type VI legislative process. Added language stating the ordinance "leads to better development designs that balance the need to protect mature urban trees with other community goals as increased urban density occurs." Staff recommended approval; Council approved with amendments. **Water Resources Advisory Board Appointments (AB 24443) - PASSED 7-0:** Appointed Alicia Toney and Carl Benson to first full terms, reappointed Bret Beaupain to first full term, all expiring February 25, 2028. Staff recommended approval; Council approved as recommended. **Squalicum Creek Grant Acceptance (AB 24444) - PASSED 7-0:** Accepted $1.84 million Washington State Department of Transportation grant for Squalicum Creek Estuary Restoration Project design phase. Total project cost $2.3 million with 20% local match. Staff recommended approval; Council appr…

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**Landmark Tree Ordinance Balancing:** The most substantive policy debate centered on language in the landmark tree ordinance about balancing tree preservation with development. Council Member Anderson proposed adding text stating the ordinance "leads to better development designs that balance the need to protect mature urban trees with other community goals as increased urban density occurs." The discussion revealed tension between environmental and housing advocates, with some public commenters arguing the original language was too vague and created shortcuts for developers to avoid tree preservation work. Council Member Lilliquist supported the change because it recognized multiple community goals rather than a simplistic tradeoff between trees and density. Council Member Williams preferred addressing detailed changes in the permanent ordinance rather than the interim extension, but ultimately supported the amendment. **Digital Equity and Broadband Access:** A failed motion to reconvene the broadband advisory work group highlighted unresolved questions about digital equity in Bellingham. Council Members Lilliquist and Anderson argued the city's fiber network study addressed municipal needs but left community access and affordability issues unresolved. They wanted the experienced work group members to explore remaining options for bridging the digital divide. Council Members Stone and Willi…
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**Adam Belanger, resident:** Cautioned Council to learn from Seattle's landmark tree ordinance implementation failures, noting conflicts between development and tree protection led to unworkable outcomes. Supports tree protection but emphasized need to balance with housing shortage. **Bill Geyer, Geyer and Associates:** Supported adding language about balancing residential needs with tree protection. Proposed adding exemptions for projects maintaining over 45% tree canopy and incentives for exceeding that threshold. **Robin Thomas, Seahome neighborhood:** Opposed broad language about "climate benefits of increasing density" as adding ambiguity. Argued most trees lost 2018-2024 weren't in building footprints and didn't result in more housing. Called for removing vague statement and strengthening transparency. **Michael Fear, Whatcom Million Trees Project:** Detailed six specific improvements needed: transparency scorecard, diameter spot-checking, penalties for under-reporting, purpose statement revision, including black cottonwoods, and hearing examiner review of all determinations. Emphasized ordinance impact will be small because few landmark trees exist on private land. **Laura Weiss, Sunnyland neighborhood:** Advocated for public scorecard of landmark tree decisions and better documentation of site planning options when trees are removed. Wants hearing examiner to see why alternative sit…
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**Council Member Anderson, on tree ordinance language:** "I think we all agree that the idea of tree preservation is not to extinguish the ability to develop, but it is to ensure the site is looked at and if there is the ability to amend a plan slightly by giving them height or a different setback or let them change the envelope." **Council Member Lilliquist, on climate benefits:** "When it comes to climate benefits, yeah, there's some climate benefits to denser, closer living, which reduces …
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**March 2025:** City IT and library staff will present on existing digital equity efforts. Port of Bellingham's Regional Economic Partnership presentation rescheduled from this meeting. **March 5, 2025 at 4 PM:** Ribbon cutting ceremony for Northern Lights Park, located north of Costco and west of Northwest Avenue. **March 7, 2025:** First Free Friday at Whatcom Museum featuring "Verdant" exhibition with works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse. **March 10, 2025:** Next regular City Council meeting. **March 24, 2025:** Draft middle housing ordinance expected for Council review following study session. **May 2025:** Nutrien…

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**Landmark tree ordinance language expanded:** Council added Section K stating the ordinance "leads to better development designs that balance the need to protect mature urban trees with other community goals as increased urban density occurs," while retaining original Section J language about climate benefits of density. **Staff commitment to transparency:** Administration agreed to explore public-facing dashboard for landmark tree nominations, decisions, and outcomes across multiple departments (Planning, Parks, Public Works, Legal). **Broadband work group formally dissolved:** Council vote confirmed the advisory group dissolved upon presentation of final report, ending speculation about its continued existence. **Major infrastructure funding secured:** City officially accepted $1.84 million federal grant for Squalicum Creek restoration, enabling design work through 2027 for fish ha…
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# City Council Grapples With Landmark Tree Ordinance Extension The Bellingham City Council wrestled with extending their interim landmark tree ordinance for another six months during their February 24, 2025 regular meeting, while a passionate crowd of residents offered competing visions for how the city should balance tree preservation with housing development needs. ## Meeting Overview The evening's centerpiece was a public hearing on extending the city's interim development regulations for landmark trees — a temporary ordinance first adopted in May 2024 after concerns about large trees being cut down in anticipation of stricter rules. Seven council members were present for the 1 hour and 59-minute meeting, presided over by Council President Hollie Huthman. The session drew substantial public testimony on the tree ordinance, which has become a lightning rod for broader tensions between environmental protection and housing affordability in the rapidly growing city. What made this meeting notable was the level of detail in public testimony — residents arrived with specific technical suggestions, data analysis, and pointed critiques of how similar ordinances have failed in other cities. The council ultimately approved the six-month extension with amendments, but not before revealing sharp philosophical differences about the role of regulation in achieving community goals. ## The Landmark Tree Preservation Debate Director Blake Lyon opened the evening by outlining revisions made to the ordinance in response to council feedback from February 10th. The changes included clarifying language about tree failure, fee structures, and provisions allowing the Landmark Tree Committee to remove trees from the inventory. Lyon emphasized that the extension would provide time to monitor state legislative developments, particularly bills related to urban forestry and wildland-urban interface requirements. The public testimony that followed revealed a community deeply engaged with the technical details of tree pres…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council held its regular meeting on February 24, 2025, focusing primarily on extending the landmark tree ordinance, approving infrastructure projects, and conducting several informational sessions on housing, homelessness, and legislative priorities. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Landmark Tree Ordinance:** An interim emergency ordinance protecting trees 36 inches in diameter or larger from removal, with a six-month extension approved to allow for the Type 6 legislative process. **Type 6 Legislative Process:** A comprehensive public review process required for permanent ordinances that includes public hearings, Planning Commission review, and full Council consideration. **IDIQ Contract:** Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract - an on-call arrangement allowing the city to procure services efficiently through individual work orders as needs arise. **Fiber Network Comprehensive Plan:** A 10-year strategic plan to improve the city's fiber optic infrastructure for better redundancy, reliability, and future-proofing of essential city operations. **Broadband Advisory Work Group:** A citizen advisory group that studied the city's fiber network and digital equity issues, which formally dissolved upon presentation of their final report. **Nutrient Reduction Evaluation (NRE):** Required study under the Puget Sound Nutrient General Permit to evaluate reducing nitrogen discharge from the Post Point wastewater treatment plant. **Middle Housing:** Housing types that provide more options than single-family homes but are smaller than large apartment buildings, such as duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings. **Real Estate Excise Tax (REET):** State and local taxes on property sales that can fund affordable housing and capital projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Hollie Huthman | Council President | | Hannah Stone | Council Member | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member | | Skip Williams | Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Council Member | …
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Land Use & Planning Environmental Transportation & Infrastructure Government Operations HB 1515 HB 1791 HB 1867 Bellingham Landmark Tree Committee Building Industry Association Building Industry Association Whatcom County Carollo Engineers Discount Fence Happy Valley Neighborhood Association Port Bellingham Seahome Neighborhood Silver Beach Neighborhood Association Sunnyland Neighborhood Washington State Department Transportation Whatcom Environmental Council Whatcom Million Trees Project Adam Belanger Bill Geyer Blake Lyon Brooks Anderson Carrie Burnside Daniel Hammill Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Jim Smith Joel Pfundt Kim Lund Laura Weiss Lisa Anderson Michael Fear Michael Lilliquist Mike Olinger Perry Eskridge Rick Eggers Robin Thomas Skip Williams Broadband Workgroup Climate Action Comprehensive Plan Digital Equity Environmental Protection Fiber Network Growth Management Act Hearing Examiner Housing Development Infrastructure Investment Lake Whatcom Watershed Landmark Trees Lodging Tax Middle Housing Public Transparency Squalicum Creek Street Vacation Tree Canopy Type Six Process Waste Management