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Bellingham City Council

BEL-CON-2025-11-03 November 03, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham City Council held a packed regular meeting featuring three major public hearings that drew extensive community testimony on critical city planning issues. The meeting lasted nearly three hours and addressed fundamental questions about how Bellingham will grow, budget, and manage parking over the next decades. The most contentious item was the 2025 Comprehensive Plan public hearing, which generated testimony from 17 speakers on topics ranging from urban growth area boundaries to environmental protection to housing development strategies. The plan represents a once-a-decade opportunity to establish Bellingham's vision for growth through 2045, and the community engagement reflected the high stakes involved. The second budget hearing for 2026 highlighted the city's ongoing financial challenges, with Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman presenting a $543 million total budget that includes eliminating over 40 positions to close a $10 million General Fund shortfall. Only three speakers testified on the budget, suggesting either public acceptance of the difficult choices or engagement fatigue after months of budget discussions. A third public hearing on extending interim parking regulations for six months drew 10 speakers, with debate centering on whether removing minimum parking requirements is helping or hurting development and community livability. The Council ultimately approved the extension with amendments and endorsed a staff work plan for further parking management tools. The Council demonstrated efficiency in moving through their regular business, approving all consent agenda items and final ordinance readings unanimously. They also handled multiple property acquisitions in executive session and various committee recommendations with little debate. Two significant procedural decisions emerged from the comprehensive plan hearing: the Council voted to schedule an additional work session on November 10th to continue discussions, and they directed s

**Public Hearing Extensions:** - Referred Comprehensive Plan (AB 24716) to November 10th work session — Vote: 7-0 - Approved housing appendix addition to Comprehensive Plan — Vote: 7-0 - Extended interim parking regulations for six months (AB 24715) — Vote: 7-0 - Endorsed staff work plan for parking management tools — Vote: 6-0 (Cotton abstained) **Budget and Finance:** - Approved 2026 property tax levy ordinance (AB 24714) — Vote: 7-0 - Approved 2026 City Council meeting schedule (AB 24719) — Vote: 7-0 - Approved Bellingham School District impact fee schedule (AB 24711) — Vote: 7-0 **Appointments:** - Approved Kathy Washatka reappointment to Civil Service Commission — Vote: 7-0 - Received information on Bernice Portervint appointment to Community Development Advisory B…

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**Comprehensive Plan Growth Strategy:** The evening's most substantive debate centered on how Bellingham should accommodate projected growth of 30,310 new residents and 18,390 new housing units by 2045. Multiple speakers addressed the contentious South U Street Urban Growth Area (UGA) reserve, with property owners and housing advocates arguing for inclusion in the UGA to enable development, while environmental advocates warned against development in the Lake Padden watershed. Peter Frazier and other housing advocates argued that excluding South U from the UGA "kicks the can down the road" and prevents coordinated planning for thousands of potential homes. They emphasized that UGA inclusion doesn't annex land or commit city spending but simply allows planning to begin. Attorney Brad Swanson compared UGA planning to required homework versus optional extra credit, warning that reserve areas never get adequate attention. Environmental advocates led by David Roberts and Betsy Gross presented scientific evidence from the People for Lake Padden studies showing the area's complex geology with steep slopes, wetlands, and limited developable land. They argued that development would degrade Lake Padden's water quality, calling it "dumb to develop in a watershed" when the city removed similar protections from Lake Whatcom's watershed. Planning staff indicated they're still awaiting county approval of proposed UGA boundaries, noting Whatcom County's process runs several months behind the city's timeline. The tension between housing production and environmental protection will likely dominate upcoming work sessions. **Housing Production and Affordability:** Multiple speakers raised concerns about the comprehensive plan's ability to actually produce needed housing units. Perry Eskridge questioned whether the city's buildable l…
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**City Staff Position:** Staff consistently recommended approval of all agenda items with minor amendments. Deputy Administrator Longman emphasized the 2026 budget's focus on financial stability while leveraging dedicated resources for continued investments. Planning Director Lyon called for comprehensive evaluation of parking policies alongside other interim ordinances coming forward. **Housing Development Community:** Property owners and developers strongly supported UGA expansion and streamlined development processes. Doug Angel, representing a 38-acre family property, emphasized readiness to work with the city on housing that "reflects Bellingham's values" but needs UGA inclusion to proceed. Kitech USA representatives highlighted their track record of diverse housing types with two-thirds selling at 80-120% of area median income. **Environmental Advocates:** A coordinated group opposed South U Street UGA inclusion based on watershed science and Lake Padden protection. David Roberts presented technical data from 2011-2013 studies showing limited developable area due to geology. David …
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**Brian Armstrong, on comprehensive plan implementation:** "We set a lot of ambitions and we set a lot of goals and I I've seen plans before in Bellingham. I look at certain park master plans and see that they haven't really been fulfilled over a decade... And I think Mayor Lungy said one time at a committee meeting, voted Mike Tyson saying everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face." **Peter Frazier, on UGA inclusion:** "Including South U in the UGA doesn't annex a single acre or…
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**November 10, 2025:** Optional Committee of the Whole work session on Comprehensive Plan to address council member questions before final consideration. **November 17, 2025:** Five public hearings scheduled including: - Interim design standards regulations - Infill housing regulations extension - Co-living housing zoning amendments - Two utility easement relinquishments **December 8, 2025:** Target date for final Comprehensive Plan adoption and 2026 budget adoption. **Ongoing Development:** Staff will prepare housing appendix documenting Growth Management Act…

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**Procedural Advances:** The Comprehensive Plan moved from public hearing to work session phase, with November 10th session added by 7-0 vote. Housing appendix addition approved to strengthen state law compliance documentation. **Parking Policy Extension:** Interim parking regulations extended six months to July 28, 2026, with ADA parking amendment and staff work plan endorsement providing clearer implementation guidance. **Budget Framework Locked:** 2026 property tax levy and meeting schedule established, moving budget toward final December adoption. Council demonstrated acceptance of difficult financial choices with minimal debate. **Development Process Clarification:** Impact fee schedule for Bellingham School District formally integrated into Capital Facilities Plan, providing clearer cost structure for residential development. **Property Portfolio Expansion:** T…
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## Meeting Overview On the evening of November 3rd, 2025, the Bellingham City Council convened for what would become a marathon 2 hour and 44 minute session addressing some of the most consequential planning issues facing the city. Council President Hollie Huthman presided over a full council — Stone, Hammill, Williams, Anderson, Lilliquist, and Cotton — as they tackled three major public hearings: the 2026 budget, the comprehensive plan update, and parking regulations. The meeting drew significant public engagement, with dozens of residents weighing in on the city's financial future, growth strategy, and development policies. This was not a routine evening of city governance. The comprehensive plan hearing alone drew 17 speakers, while passionate debates emerged around budget priorities, urban growth boundaries, and the role of parking minimums in shaping development. The council would ultimately defer major decisions on both the comprehensive plan and parking regulations, recognizing the complexity of the issues before them and the need for additional deliberation. ## The 2026 Budget: Financial Stability Through Difficult Choices Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman opened the evening with a presentation that laid bare the city's fiscal challenges. Facing a $10 million budget shortfall in the general fund, staff had crafted a budget built on what Longman called three basic principles: ensuring financial stability because "we no longer have the capacity in our reserves to wait for better outcomes," focusing on work only the city can do, and leveraging dedicated resources to continue vital programs outside the general fund. The numbers told a stark story. The general fund budget of $128 million was nearly balanced — out by just $355,000 — but that figure masked deeper structural problems. "There's also a $1.5 million one-time revenue that we're expecting," Longman explained. "So really on balance, we have nearly a $2 million ongoing deficit we're looking at next year. So this work is not over and we will continue to find ways to address that going forward." The path t…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council met on November 3, 2025, for a regular meeting focused primarily on three major public hearings: the second public hearing on the 2026 budget, a hearing on the comprehensive Bellingham Plan update, and a hearing on extending parking regulations. The meeting lasted approximately 3 hours. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Comprehensive Plan:** A long-range planning document required by Washington's Growth Management Act that establishes a community's vision for future development over a 20-year period and is updated every 10 years in a "periodic update" process. **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated areas where urban development is encouraged to occur, helping prevent suburban sprawl while concentrating services and infrastructure efficiently. **UGA Reserve:** A designation that prevents the city from doing long-range planning for an area, effectively keeping it out of consideration for urban development until it receives full UGA status. **Interim Zoning Regulations:** Temporary development rules adopted while the city develops permanent regulations, often in response to changing state laws or local conditions. **Parking Minimums:** Requirements that force developers to provide a certain number of parking spaces, which the interim ordinance eliminated to allow market-driven parking decisions. **General Fund:** The city's primary operating budget that funds basic services like police, fire, parks, and administration — facing a $10 million shortfall in the proposed 2026 budget. **Greenways Fund:** Voter-approved funding specifically designated for trail connectivity, habitat restoration, and parks — not intended as a general "slush fund" for any parks-related spending. **Middle Housing:** Housing types between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, such as duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings that provide more affordable options. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kimberley Lund | Mayor | | Hollie Huthman | Council President, Second Ward | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, First Ward | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member, Third Ward | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Council Member, Fourth Ward | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member, Fifth Ward | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member, Sixth Ward | | Jace Cotton | Council Member, At-Large | | Forrest Longman | Deputy City Administrator | | Elizabeth Erickson | Senior Planner | | Blake Lyon | Planning & Community Development Director | | Brian Armstrong | Public commenter (frequent attendee) | | Adam Bellinger | Public commenter (finance professional) | | Brian Gas | Public commenter (housing development advocate) | | Darcy Jones | Jones Engineers representative | | Peter Frazier | South U Street area advocate | | Bill Geyer | Planning consultant/chu…
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Land Use & Planning Budget & Finance Transportation & Infrastructure Government Operations AB 24715 AB 24716 AB 24725 Bellingham Housing Authority Jones Engineers Kitech Usa Laraby Springs People For Lake Padden Puget Sound Energy Whatcom Environmental Council Adam Bellinger Betsy Gross Bill Geier Blake Lyon Brian Armstrong Brian Gas Darcy Jones David Roberts Doug Angel Elizabeth Erickson Forrest Longman Hollie Huthman John Mclaughlin Michael Lilliquist Perry Eskridge Peter Frazier Affordable Housing Annexation Budget 2026 Budget Shortfall Climate Action Comprehensive Plan Comprehensive Planning Development Regulations Environmental Protection Growth Management Act Housing Policy Infill Development Lake Padden Watershed Middle Housing Parking Minimums Parking Regulations Property Tax Public Safety South U Street Uga Transportation Infrastructure Urban Growth Area Zoning