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Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee

BEL-GRN-2025-03-06 March 06, 2025 Committee Meeting City of Bellingham 58 min
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The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee held a productive meeting focused primarily on the Parks Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update and community engagement results. The committee received a comprehensive presentation on survey results from over 2,000 community respondents, representing the largest parks survey response in the city's history. Key findings showed strong public support for maintaining existing facilities, developing trails, acquiring open space, and addressing safety concerns in parks. The meeting also addressed planning for the annual report to City Council scheduled for April 21st, highlighting 2024 accomplishments including three property acquisitions (DNR Purchase, Newland Purchase, and Robinson donation), various development projects, and the successful generation of $9.3 million in Greenways levy revenue. Staff announced the upcoming closure of the Sandwich Crest property purchase, marking a significant milestone after years of planning. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the PROS Plan's inventory and assessment phase, with staff presenting a comprehensive approach to analyzing city parks and recreation needs through five geographic zones rather than the traditional 26 neighborhoods. This shift aims to create more practical geographic boundaries based on physical barriers like Interstate 5. The committee also discussed coordination with Whatcom County's comprehensive plan update to ensure trail connectivity across jurisdictions. Two committee positions remain vacant following departures, with three applicants being processed for the two open seats, though filling them may be delayed due to transitions in the mayor's office.

- **February Meeting Minutes Approval:** Passed 6-0 with one amendment noting a member's intent to reapply for the committee - **Geographic Rezoning for PROS Plan:** Staff presented new approach dividing city into 5 zones instead of 26 neighborhoods for a…

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The meeting's primary focus was the PROS Plan community survey results and their implications for future park and recreation planning. The survey revealed strong public support for maintaining existing facilities as the top budget priority, followed by developing new trails and connecting parks, then acquiring additional parks and open space. This hierarchy provides clear direction for future Greenways funding allocation discussions. Safety emerged as a critical theme, with respondents expressing concerns about park rule enforcement and feeling less safe on trails during evening hours compared to parks during open hours. The survey showed disagreement with the statement about finding alternative transportation if parking we…
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**Committee Members** expressed appreciation for the interactive public meeting format and strong survey response. David Stalheim raised important concerns about ensuring trails mapping appears in the Growth Management Act plan rather than only the PROS Plan to maintain development requirement authority. **Staff (Peter)** emphasized the success of public engagement efforts, noting higher attendance at the Cordata meeting than expected, and outlined…
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**Peter, on survey demographics:** "Bellingham's, according to the census, is about 79% white. So we were a little under benchmarking on the on the different racial and ethnicity side of things. So we need to do more on that side." **David Stalheim, on Growth Management Act requirements:** "The way you can require that for development is to be in the GMA plan." **Peter, on maintenance priorities:** "Maybe they're just wanting to make sure that the parks are protected from encamp…
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- April meeting: Draft annual report review and discussion - April 5th: Collaborative workshops with Vamos for Latino community outreach on comprehensive plan - April 21st: Annual report presentation to City Council - May meeting: Draft PROS Plan goals and policies presenta…

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The committee accepted a new geographic framework for analyzing parks and recreation needs, moving from 26 neighborhoods to 5 zones based on physical barriers like Interstate 5. This represents a significant shift in how the city will evaluate service distribution and plan future improvements. Survey results now provide concrete data showing community priorities favor maintenance over new development, with trails and open space acquisition ranking high. The strong response rate (2,000+ partici…
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# Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee Navigates Major Planning Initiatives The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee convened for their March meeting on Thursday evening, tackling substantial updates on the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan development and preparing for their annual report to City Council. With nearly 2,000 survey responses and successful public engagement events behind them, the committee is now positioned to help shape the city's recreational future over the next two decades. ## Meeting Overview Six committee members gathered at 7:20 PM for what Chair Peter described as "a short agenda," though the evening proved anything but brief as they delved into comprehensive survey data and planning processes. The meeting welcomed Daniel Probst during public comment and featured extensive discussion of community input gathered through recent public outreach efforts. Notably, the committee continues to operate with two vacant positions formerly held by Scott and Kate, with three applicants currently under consideration by the mayor's office. ## Sandwich Crest Property Acquisition Moves Forward The meeting opened with exciting news about a long-awaited land acquisition. "The Sandwich crest property closes tomorrow," announced Peter, noting that "the check is delivered to the escrow company. So everything is moving forward as planned couple of years later. But it is happening." This acquisition represents a significant milestone for the Greenways program, adding to the city's protected open space network after years of planning and preparation. ## Trail Connectivity and County Coordination Daniel Probst, project lead for the Bellingham Mount Baker Trail, used his public comment time to highlight an important coordination opportunity. He noted that while the city works through its PROS plan update, "the county is also going through their whole comprehensive plan update, which is, which includes their comprehensive chapter 9, recreation which actually be changed to parks, recreation." Probst emphasized the interconnected nature of regional trail systems, explaining that county plan changes "might have changes to some of the major trails that run through Bellingham... not only my trail, but maybe the Beta Baker trail, and because Millennium trail some of those other trails." He suggested that the city's planning process "reference what happens with the county's plan so that it can overlap with planning for the purpose," proposin…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on March 6, 2025, to discuss their annual report planning and receive an extensive briefing on community survey results and open house feedback for the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update. The committee also learned about the comprehensive inventory and assessment process that will guide the city's parks planning for the next 20 years. ### Key Terms and Concepts **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan - a 20-year comprehensive planning document required by the state that guides how Bellingham develops, maintains, and operates its parks system. **Greenways Levy:** A voter-approved funding mechanism that generated $9.3 million in 2024 for park acquisition, development, stewardship, and community gardens in Bellingham. **Level of Service:** A planning metric used to measure how well parks and recreation facilities serve the community, often calculated as acres of parkland per 1,000 residents or accessibility within a 10-minute walk. **Social Vulnerability Index:** A demographic analysis tool that identifies communities with higher needs for services and infrastructure, used in this context to ensure equitable distribution of parks and trails. **Walk Model:** A GIS-based analysis that maps how accessible parks and trails are to residents on foot, ensuring people can reach green space within a reasonable walking distance. **Growth Management Act (GMA):** State legislation that requires cities to plan for population growth while protecting natural resources, which influences how trail maps and park requirements are incorporated into development rules. **Urban Growth Area:** The designated boundary around Bellingham where urban development is planned to occur over the next 20 years. **Tree Canopy Cover:** The percentage of land area covered by tree crowns, an important metric for urban forestry and climate resilience planning. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Peter | Parks Department Staff/Meeting Facilitator | | Daniel Probst | Community Member, Project Lead for Bellingham Mount Baker Trail | | Ray Dellecker | Greenways Committee Member (attending online) | | David Stalheim | Greenways Committee Member (attending online) | | Dina | Greenways Committee Applicant | | Kate | Referenced former committee member | | Scott | Referenced former committee member | ### Background Context The Greenways Advisory Committee is tasked with advising on trail development and connectivity while the P…
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Parks & Recreation Environmental Government Operations Bellingham School District Cascadia Partners City Council Vamos Whatcom County Whatcom County Parks Daniel Probst David Stalheim Dina Dina Member Peter Peter Staff Ray Dellecker Annual Report Annual Report Planning Budget Finance Climate Resilience Community Survey Community Survey Results Comprehensive Plan Geographic Zones Greenways Levy Growth Management Act Park Maintenance Priorities Park Safety Parks Recreation Property Acquisition Pros Plan Pros Plan Update Public Engagement Public Safety Trails Mapping Trails Planning Urban Forest