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Bellingham Design Review Board

BEL-DRB-2025-12-02 December 02, 2025 Design Review Committee City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham Design Review Board held its December 2nd meeting to review two distinctly different early design guidance proposals, highlighting the breadth of development projects navigating the city's urban village guidelines. The session revealed both the flexibility and tensions within the design review process when confronted with unconventional projects that don't fit standard development patterns. The first project—12 storage units at 115 Lottie Street—sparked considerable debate about the applicability of urban village design standards to a garage-style building with no street frontage, located on an alley behind the county's public works building. The second project, a 40-50 unit co-housing development at the former school administration site on DuPont Street, presented the challenge of balancing contemporary residential design with the preservation of a historically significant 1908 building. Both projects received preliminary guidance to move forward, though the storage unit proposal divided the board 2-2 on fundamental questions about design review scope, while the co-housing project faced clear direction to enhance its homage to the historic structure being demolished. The meeting underscored ongoing tensions between environmental preservation, historic character, and practical development constraints in Bellingham's urban villages.

**115 Lottie Street Storage Units (PRE2025-0114):** - Preliminary approval to proceed with design modifications - Board consensus (4-0) to raise front parapet from 11 to 13 feet to match side parapets - Split opinion (2-2) on whether urban village design standards meaningfully apply to alley-fronting storage buildings - No formal vote taken on setback requirements (curren…

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The storage unit project exposed fundamental questions about the scope and applicability of urban village design review. Located on a uniquely constrained site with shoreline buffers from Whatcom Creek and no street frontage, the 12-unit building challenged standard assumptions about pedestrian-oriented design. Staff planner Simran Dhaliwal noted that "given the proposed uses and lack of public street frontage on the property, many design guidelines may not be applicable." The project's evolution from residential to storage reflected environmental constraints—Department of Ecology shoreline regulations made residential development economically unfeasible due to buffer requirements and utility extension costs. Applicant Ali Taishi explained they "consulted with Simran and Steve Sundeen who's the city shoreline planner and we kicked around various residential development ideas and just couldn't find a way to make something work physically."…
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**Design Review Board Members:** - **Ryan Van Straten (Chair):** Advocated for adequate pedestrian space at storage units, supported raising parapets for better proportions - **Maggie Bates:** Questioned extensive "doesn't apply" claims for storage project, emphasized need for visual variation and historic material integration in co-housing - **Robert Wright:** Defended minimal setbacks for alley buildings, supported letting staff handle storage unit approval - **Coby Jones:** Focused on clarifying parking vs. st…
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**Ali Taishi, on storage unit site constraints:** "We went back to the drawing board after that pre-op and that work with city staff and Jess came back to me with the idea to do effectively private parking and storage within the footprint of the site that's already developed." **Robert Wright, on design review scope:** "Honestly, I think it's kind of silly that we're even doing this. I don't really see why this is part of our committee. To be honest, it's a garage like it's on an alley." **M…
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**115 Lottie Street Storage Units:** - Applicant to incorporate raised parapet design (11 to 13 feet) - Proceed through Title 16 critical areas ordinance compliance - Department of Ecology shoreline permit review required - Return for final design review with updated renderings **1306 DuPont Street Co-Housing:** - Private h…

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The storage unit project gained clarity on design expectations despite philosophical disagreements about review scope. The consensus to raise front parapets addresses proportion concerns, while the applicant received clear guidance that environmental constraints may justify minimal pedestrian setbacks. The co-housing project shifted from preliminary concept toward more detailed historic integration requirements. The board's emphasis on enhanced material reuse, improved facade modulation, and…
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## Meeting Overview The December 2nd, 2025 meeting of the Bellingham Design Review Board convened at 3:00 PM with Chair Ryan Van Straten presiding over a blend of in-person and virtual participants. Board members Maggie Bates, Robert Wright, and Coby Jones were present, along with city staff including project planners Simran Dhaliwal and Emi Scherer, and administrative staff Fiona Starr. The meeting addressed two distinctly different proposals: a modest storage facility tucked behind a public building near Whatcom Creek, and an ambitious co-housing development that would replace a historically significant 1908 school administration building. Both projects sparked thoughtful debate about the boundaries of design review authority and the competing values that shape Bellingham's urban villages. The storage unit proposal raised questions about whether design guidelines should apply to utilitarian buildings with minimal public visibility, while the co-housing project forced a difficult reckoning between historic preservation ideals and contemporary housing needs. The discussions revealed the board's commitment to design excellence while navigating the practical constraints of challenging sites. ## Storage Units at Whatcom Creek's Edge The first proposal brought an unusual challenge to the Design Review Board: twelve identical storage units proposed for a narrow strip of developable land at 115 Lottie Street, squeezed between an alley and the protected buffer zone of Whatcom Creek. Ali Taishi from ABT Consulting presented on behalf of property owner Jess Knoyer, explaining how environmental constraints and infrastructure limitations had forced them to abandon their original residential vision. "We did start with a residential project on this property when Jess purchased it and actually had a pre-app the city for a residential project," Taishi explained. "But ultimately the critical areas issues predominantly the shoreline buffer that is applied to Whatcom Creek really restricted the land available for development and created a lot of uncertainty around what could be approved." The Department of Ecology's final authority over shoreline permits, combined with the prohibitive cost of extending utilities to serve just three or four small residential units, had driven them toward this storage solution. The building itself would be strikingly simple: a single-…
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### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Design Review Board met on December 2, 2025, to provide early design guidance for two projects: a 12-unit storage facility at 115 Lottie Street and a 40-50 unit cohousing development called 4th Corner Commons at 1306 DuPont Street. The board reviewed conceptual designs and provided direction on how to better meet urban village design standards. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Design Review Board (DRB):** A city board that reviews proposed developments for consistency with design standards and provides guidance to applicants on architectural and site design. **Early Design Guidance (EDG):** An initial review process where applicants present conceptual designs at about 30% completion to get feedback before submitting full applications. **Urban Village Design Standards:** Guidelines that promote pedestrian-friendly, community-oriented development in designated urban village areas. **Shoreline Buffer:** A protected area along waterways like Whatcom Creek where development is restricted to preserve environmental functions. **Cohousing:** A collaborative living model where residents share common spaces and amenities while maintaining private homes, typically involving self-development by future residents. **Facadism:** Preserving only the front facade of a historic building while replacing the rest of the structure. **Department of Ecology (DOE):** State agency that must approve any development impacting shoreline areas. **Parapet:** A low protective wall extending above a roof line, often required for fire safety between adjacent buildings. ### 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 | | Simran Dhaliwal | City Planner II | | Emy Scherrer | City Planner II | | Ali Taysi | AVT Consulting (115 Lottie Street applicant) | | Jess Kenoyer | Property Owner (115 Lottie Street) | | Bryan Bowen | Caddis Architecture (1306 DuPont Street applicant) | ### Background Context The 115 Lottie Street project represents a unique challenge in urban planning where environmental constraints severely limit development options. Originally intended for residential townhouses, the pr…
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Government Operations AB PRE2025 0114 Abt Consulting Bellingham Design Review Board Caddis Architecture Department Of Ecology Ali Taishi Brian Bowen Coby Jones Emi Scherer Jess Knoyer Maggie Bates Robert Wright Ryan Van Straten Simran Dhaliwal Accessibility Pedestrian Dupont Street Environmental Constraints Fountain Urban Village Historic Preservation Housing Development Infrastructure Land Use Policy Lottie Street Shoreline Buffers Water Resources Whatcom Creek