Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee

**PROS Plan Goals Review:** Staff walked the committee through existing goals in the 2020 PROS Plan, seeking feedback on gaps and needed updates. Committee members identified several areas requiring attention: climate change adaptation (driven by new state Growth Management Act requirements for urban forest designation), regional trail connectivity, water access planning, and more frequent community needs assessments. David noted that many current park areas should qualify as "urban and community forests" under new state law, requiring mapping and specific conservation objectives. **Trail Planning Effectiveness:** Jacob Stewart raised pointed questions about implementation success, noting that of the multiple trail projects listed in 2020 recommendations, only the Wildflower Bridge had been completed. This …

**Chair Neil:** Advocated for incorporating climate resilience planning throughout park system, emphasized need for regional trail coordination, and volunteered to lead collaborative work with staff on Strategic Plan drafts. **Committee Member David:** Pushed for stronger integration of new state forest conservation requirements, raised concerns about street right-of-way vacation processes potentially missing trail opportunities, and advocated for more frequent community needs assessments given the skewed 2022 survey data collected during pandemic. **Committee Member Jacob Stewart:** Questioned implemen…

**Jacob Stewart, on trail implementation:** "So the only thing that's actually done, as far as like the construction tape has been packed away because it is finished, is the Wildflower Bridge?" **Staff response on implementation challenges:** "These are hard. These are complex things involving a lot of players, and some of them require a willing landowner." **David, on community needs assessment timing:** "Everyone was engaging with recreation very differently at that time they took the surv…

The committee established a streamlined process for Strategic Plan updates, moving from potential group editing to a chair-staff collaboration model. Climate resilience and urban forest conservation emerged as new priority areas requiring integration into both planning documents. The committee committed to regular stewardship program updates, expanding their oversight of …

### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on January 2, 2025, to review the existing PROS (Parks, Recreation, Open Space) plan goals and objectives, and to discuss the upcoming update process for both the PROS plan and the Greenways Strategic Plan. The meeting focused on incorporating new state requirements, addressing community needs assessments, and establishing a process for updating key planning documents. ### Key Terms and Concepts **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan - a required 6-year planning document that guides the development of parks, recreation, open space as the community grows, with a mandatory update deadline of February 2026. **Growth Management Act (GMA):** State legislation that includes new requirements for parks elements, including forest canopy assessments and designation of urban and community forests within urban growth areas. **Urban and Community Forests:** New GMA requirement for municipalities to designate forested areas within urban growth areas, with assessment and mapping requirements tied to climate change mitigation efforts. **Level of Service Analysis:** A measurement system to evaluate how well the park system serves community needs, typically using metrics like distance to parks and accessibility standards. **Right-of-Way Vacation:** The legal process where the city sells or transfers unused public right-of-way to private property owners, with state law requiring half the proceeds go to parks and open space funds. **Blue Ways:** Trail connections along waterways, referenced in the Greenways Strategic Plan but not extensively covered in current PROS plan goals. **Strava Heat Map Data:** Digital tracking data from recreational users that shows where people actually travel, used to inform trail planning and prioritization decisions. **RCW (Revised Code of Washington):** State laws, specifically RCW 36.70A.070 regarding parks elements and forest requirements, and RCW 35 regarding right-of-way vacation proceeds. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Peter Ruffatto | Parks & Recreation Planning Staff | | Lane Potter | Parks & Recreation Staff | | David | Committee Member | | Neil | Committee Member | | Jacob Stewart | Committee Member | | Sarah | Committee Member (referenced for reappointment) | | Daniel | Public Commenter, Bellingham Mount Baker Trail Project Lead | | John | Committee Member | ### Background Context The city is undertaking a comprehensive update to its parks planning documents, driven by both state mandates and local needs. The Growth Manage…