Design Review Board

**Common Usable Space Design Standards:** The most substantial discussion focused on meeting multifamily design standards for common usable space. The 3,560 square feet proposed in the parking area must meet prescriptive dimensional requirements while providing meaningful recreational value for residents. Board members expressed concern that the space, surrounded by nose-in parking on multiple sides, would feel "trapped" and less usable. Lindsay Kirshner explained that the code allows for double-counting space (1,780 square feet counting as 3,560) when enhanced amenities are provided above minimum requirements. This creates flexibility for including basketball courts, pickleball, or other active recreation within the fenced area. **…

**Development Team (Ali Taysi, Brett Bennett, Sergio Ruiz):** Advocated for preserving the existing foundation to reduce shoring costs and construction complexity on the sloping site. Emphasized that the building location and massing were driven by foundation reuse, site topography, and alley access requirements. Proposed contemporary materials (brick veneer, fiber cement panels) to differentiate from historic neighbors. **Design Review Board Members:** - Robert Wright: Strongly advocated for raising the common space above alley level and extending architectural massing to the north faca…

**Ali Taysi, on historic context:** "We feel like you'd be better off doing something that's entirely different from those, so that they maintain their like uniqueness within the district, versus trying to draw like one or two elements from them to create like a caricature, so to speak, of those." **Robert Wright, on the common space:** "I'd have a hard time envisioning it truly being an interactive and fully usable space with both of the rows of parking kind of facing it." **Ryan Van Strate…

**Design Direction Established:** The common usable space concept shifted from a street-level parking lot amenity to an elevated platform providing better visual presence and user experience. This represents a significant change in site design approach. **Architectural Language Clarified:** The contemporary design approach was validated by the board, establishing clear direction away from historic mimicry toward consistency with recent neighborhood development. **Massing Strategy Refined:** The recommendation to extend projecting ele…

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Design Review Board met on June 17, 2025, to provide early design guidance for a proposed 36-unit, four-story multifamily residential building at 1101 N Forest Street. The main focus was reviewing the proposed design's consistency with urban village design standards and providing guidance on challenging site constraints, particularly regarding the common usable open space placement within the parking lot area. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Design Review Board (DRB):** City board that reviews new building designs in designated districts to ensure consistency with design standards and community character. **Early Design Guidance:** First formal design review meeting where applicants present conceptual plans and receive feedback before finalizing detailed designs. **Urban Village Design Standards:** City regulations that guide building design, massing, materials, and site planning in designated urban village areas. **Common Usable Space:** Required outdoor amenity area for multifamily developments, minimum 100 square feet per unit, that must meet specific size and programming requirements. **Design Intent Statements:** Specific goals within design standards that projects must meet, focusing on building character, public realm interface, and neighborhood compatibility. **Setback:** Distance a building must be positioned back from the property line, often used for landscaping buffers or privacy. **Massing:** Three-dimensional composition of a building's overall form, including projections, recesses, and height variations. **SEPTED:** Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles that promote safety through visibility and natural surveillance. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Ryan Van Straten | Design Review Board Chair | | Maggie Bates | Design Review Board Member | | Robert Wright | Design Review Board Member | | Coby Jones | Design Review Board Member | | Lindsay Kirshner | City Planning Staff, Project Planner | | Fiona Starr | City Administrative Staff | | Ali Taysi | Development Team Member | | Brett Bennett | Property Owner and General Contractor | | Sergio Ruiz | Project Architect | ### Background Context The proposed development sits on a corner parcel at Fo…