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Committee of the Whole

BEL-CTW-2025-02-10 February 10, 2025 Committee of the Whole City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole met to review proposed modifications to the interim Landmark Tree Ordinance and address legislative advocacy procedures. The primary focus was on refining the emergency tree preservation ordinance adopted in May 2024, with staff requesting an additional six-month extension to pursue formal Type VI legislative process. Director Blake Lyon presented clarifying changes aimed at balancing tree preservation with housing development needs, addressing implementation challenges identified since the ordinance took effect. The session also tackled procedural questions about council representation in state legislative advocacy, sparked by discussion of pending algorithmic rent pricing legislation. Council members formalized their ad hoc legislative team structure while debating the balance between strategic coordination and individual member advocacy rights. The meeting concluded with executive session discussions on cybersecurity, property acquisitions, and potential litigation matters.

**Motion 1:** Authorize any council member to testify on behalf of Bellingham City Council in support of Senate Bill 5469 (algorithmic rent pricing prohibition) - **Vote:** 6-0 (Williams abstained) - **Staff recommendation:** Not specified - **Significance:** Enables council testimony on specific housing affordability legislation **Motion 2:** Authorize three-member ad hoc lobbying team to speak on behalf of council on le…

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**Landmark Tree Ordinance Modifications:** Staff presented three categories of changes: clarifying language, balanced approach between preservation and development, and enforcement improvements. Key clarifications include requiring property owner approval for tree nominations by others, defining "critical root zone" for more precise protection standards, and addressing multi-stemmed trees that don't individually meet 36-inch diameter requirements. The "balanced approach" reflects Mayor Lund's November executive order emphasizing housing production alongside environmental protection. Changes include reducing tree replacement ratios from previous versions, allowing flexibility in development standards (setbacks, parking, lot coverage) to accommodate tree preservation, and adding stream habitat restoration as grounds for removal. Council members expressed varying perspectives on the development-versus-preservation balance. Council Member Stone emphasized the need for "symbiotic" relationships between housing goals and tree protection, …
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No public comment was taken during the committee session. Staff positions were presented by Director Lyon advocating for the tree ordinance modifications and Mayor Lund supporting the formalization of the legislative team structure. Council Me…
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**Blake Lyon, on tree ordinance goals:** "We endeavored to try to provide some clarifying language where that's most appropriate, begin to look at a tailored approach to how we can kind of find a balance between protecting and preserving our natural environment, and then also allowing for some of the additions to our built environment, in particular as it pertains to housing." **Council Member Stone, on development concerns:** "We've already experienced one scenario where that happened and tha…
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**February 24, 2025:** Public hearing on revised interim Landmark Tree Ordinance with first and second reading if approved **Legislative Session:** Ad hoc team will continue weekly Friday meetings with lobbyists and provide updates to full council via email **Tree Ordinance Development:** Staff will pursue Type VI legislative process for …

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Council formalized the previously informal three-member legislative advocacy team, officially designating Stone, Hammill, and Huthman as representatives authorized to speak on behalf of the full council on legislative agenda items. This addresses concerns about the legitimacy of the arrangement that had evolved organically from the lobbyist selection process. The tree ordinance study session established direction for the February 2…
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# A Careful Balance: Bellingham Council Weighs Tree Protection Against Housing Needs The Committee of the Whole gathered on a Monday afternoon to tackle one of Bellingham's most delicate policy challenges: how to preserve the city's magnificent landmark trees while ensuring housing development can proceed. What emerged was a thoughtful hour-long discussion that revealed both the complexity of the issue and the council's commitment to finding workable solutions. ## Meeting Overview All seven council members attended the February 10th Committee of the Whole meeting, where they reviewed proposed modifications to the city's interim Landmark Tree Ordinance. The emergency ordinance, first adopted in May 2024, was designed to prevent the preemptive removal of exceptional trees but has since revealed implementation challenges that staff hope to address through targeted revisions. Council President Hollie Huthman presided over the session, which featured Planning and Community Development Director Blake Lyon presenting refinements to the ordinance alongside colleagues from Natural Resources and Parks departments. The discussion proved substantive, with council members diving deep into technical details while keeping sight of broader policy goals. The meeting also included significant discussion about council representation in state legislative matters, culminating in formal authorization for council members to testify on specific bills. ## Refining the Landmark Tree Protection Framework Blake Lyon opened by acknowledging the challenge at hand: "Trying to strike that balance...is certainly not an easy task to undertake, but one that we continue to endeavor to do." The proposed revisions fall…
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### Meeting Overview Bellingham's Committee of the Whole met on February 10, 2025, to discuss proposed modifications to the city's interim Landmark Tree Ordinance and consider extending it for another six months. The committee also addressed council representation in state legislative lobbying efforts. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Interim Ordinance:** A temporary city regulation that can be in effect for up to six months but may be renewed through public hearings. Bellingham's landmark tree ordinance was first adopted as an emergency measure in May 2024. **Type VI Legislative Process:** The formal, comprehensive process required under state law for adopting permanent zoning and development regulations, involving extensive public engagement and environmental review. **Landmark Tree:** Any tree (except black cottonwood) with a single trunk diameter of 36 inches or greater at breast height, or trees designated by the Bellingham Landmark Tree Committee for cultural, historical, or ecological significance. **Critical Root Zone (CRZ):** The area around a tree where essential roots for structural stability and health are located, typically calculated as one foot radius for every inch of tree diameter. **DBH (Diameter at Breast Height):** The standard measurement of tree diameter taken at 4.5 feet above ground, used to determine if a tree qualifies for landmark protection. **Mitigation Plan:** A detailed plan showing how developers will compensate for landmark tree removal, typically requiring replacement trees at a 3:1 ratio. **Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ):** A specialized certification for arborists to evaluate tree hazards using standardized risk categories from Extreme to Low Risk. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President, Committee Chair | | Blake Lyon | Planning and Community Development Director | | Renee LaCroix | Assistant Director of Natural Resources | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member, Sixth Ward | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, First Ward | | Lis…
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Environmental Land Use & Planning Government Operations SB 5469 Landmark Tree Committee Million Trees Planning Community Development Realpage Sierra Club Blake Lyon Daniel Hammill Edwin Williams Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Kimberley Lund Lisa Anderson Michael Lilliquist Renee Lacroix Algorithmic Price Fixing Council Governance Critical Areas Development Regulations Environmental Protection Growth Management Act Housing Development Land Use Policy Landmark Tree Ordinance Legislative Advocacy Middle Housing Public Hearing Rental Housing State Legislature Tree Ordinance Tree Preservation