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City of Bellingham Planning Commission

BEL-PLN-2026-02-19 February 19, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham Planning Commission held its February 2026 meeting focused on three major work session items following the election of new leadership. In the evening's most significant action, commissioners elected Jed Ballew as the new chair and Rose Le as vice chair, thanking outgoing chair Mike Estes for his leadership. The meeting featured extensive presentations on updated transportation impact fees, the interim landmark tree ordinance, and digital access to the newly adopted Bellingham Plan. The transportation impact fee (TIF) update dominated discussion time, with Chris Comeau from Transpo Group presenting a comprehensive overhaul that shifts the program to support the 2025 Bellingham Plan. The new methodology maintains multimodal person-trip calculations while incorporating recent changes to state law and updated Institute of Transportation Engineers standards. Notably, the update results in slightly lower fees for most development types — single-family homes will see rates drop from $3,857 to $3,239 per unit. Planning Director Blake Lyon provided an extensive briefing on the interim landmark tree ordinance, which has been in effect since May 2024 through multiple six-month extensions. The ordinance protects trees 36 inches or larger in diameter at breast height, requiring permits for removal except in specific circumstances. Lyon acknowledged the ordinance has created significant upfront costs for developers — potentially $10,000-$20,000 in soft costs before determining project feasibility — while successfully preventing preemptive tree removal. The meeting concluded with a brief introduction to accessing the newly adopted Bellingham Plan online, with staff promising a full demonstration at the upcoming City Council presentation.

**Chair and Vice Chair Elections:** Commissioners unanimously elected Jed Ballew as chair (6-0 vote) and Rose Le as vice chair (6-0 vote), replacing Mike Estes who had served as chair. **Transportation Impact Fee Program Update:** Informational presentation only, no formal action taken. The update establishes a new rate of $1,770.13 per person trip, resulting in lower fees for most developmen…

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**Miles from Cordana Neighborhood:** During public comment, advocated for "adaptive zoning" that would allow development slightly denser than current context, particularly in the old street grid outside Lake Whatcom watershed. Specifically requested less strict density limitations in Fairhaven while maintaining stricter design standards to preserve traditional character. **Planning Commissioners:** Generally supportive of the transportation impact fee updates, noting the rates will be lower than current levels. Several commissioners raised detailed questions about convenience store calculations, missing middle housing impacts, and the relationship between impact fees and other development requirements. On landmark trees, commissioners acknowledged both the environmental benefits and development cost concerns. **Chris Comeau (Transpo Group):** Emphasized that the TIF meth…
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**Rose Le, on accepting the vice chair position:** "One of the things that I've witnessed is that there's very little that the chair has done over the years. Um, and also Mike, uh, if I can take this moment to thank you for, um, displaying such great example of how to hold these meetings." **Chris Comeau, on impact fee legal requirements:** "The burden of proof would al often fall on the appellant. In other words, they would have to show that the city was in the wrong and and bring forward the…
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**City Council TIF Presentation:** Staff will present the transportation impact fee update to City Council on Monday, February 24, 2026, with a similar orientation format. **Landmark Tree Ordinance Extension:** City Council will consider another six-month extension of the interim landmark tree ordinance at their February 23, 2026 meeting to allow time for the formal Type VI legislative process. **Planning Commission Legislative Review:** Staff will return to Planning Commission later in 2026 to begin the Type VI legislative process for permanent a…

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**Planning Commission Leadership:** New chair and vice chair elected, with Jed Ballew replacing Mike Estes as chair and Rose Le becoming vice chair. **Transportation Impact Fee Framework:** Updated methodology established that will result in lower development fees when implemented, moving from current rates to the new $1,770.13 per person trip base rate. **Landmark Tree Ordinance Status:** Interim regulations continue with another extension likely, moving closer to permanent legislative consideration later in 2026. **S…
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## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Planning Commission convened on February 19, 2026, in City Council Chambers for a hybrid meeting that marked several significant transitions. The evening began with the election of new leadership as outgoing chair Mike Estes passed the gavel to Jed Ballew, who was elected chair with Rose Lathrop named vice-chair. The meeting featured three substantial presentations on transportation impact fees, the landmark tree ordinance, and the newly adopted Bellingham Plan. What unfolded over nearly three hours was a comprehensive examination of some of the most complex policy issues facing the city's development future. All six commissioners were present for the meeting, which was structured as a work session with informational presentations rather than formal decision-making. The hybrid format allowed both in-person and virtual participation, reflecting the commission's continued adaptation to post-pandemic meeting practices. ## Leadership Transition and New Elections The meeting opened with a respectful changing of the guard as commissioners nominated and elected their 2026 leadership. Rose Lathrop nominated Jed Ballew for chair, noting his qualifications and readiness to take on the role. When offered the chair position herself, Lathrop declined and instead nominated Ballew. Mike Estes, completing his term as chair, offered words of encouragement to his successor. "Well, I appreciate the nomination. Um, I know it is definitely extra work and I've seen what uh we've had to do here to keep the thing on the rails every once in a while," Ballew acknowledged, accepting the nomination with characteristic modesty. "So, I will try to do do my best to uh keep an organized and well structured meeting and uh keep the agenda moving." The vote was unanimous, 6-0, with Estes abstaining as he was no longer serving as chair. Lathrop was then nominated and unanimously elected as vice-chair after expressing her gratitude to Estes for his exemplary leadership. Staff member Chris Comeau echoed the appreciation, thanking Estes for his chairmanship and noting that staff had appreciated working with him in that role. The transition also brought news that commissioner Russ Whidbee had chosen not to seek reappointment for a second term, citing family obligations. Staff indicated that candidates for his replacement were being reviewed by the mayor's office. ## Transportation Impact Fee Program Update The heart of the evening's technical discussio…
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## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Planning Commission met on February 19, 2026 to elect new leadership and receive informational presentations on three key topics: transportation impact fees, the interim landmark tree ordinance, and accessing the new Bellingham Plan online. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Transportation Impact Fee (TIF):** A one-time charge assessed on new development to help pay for transportation infrastructure needed to serve growth. Bellingham's 2026 TIF rate is $1,770.13 per person trip, which is below the state average. **Person Trip vs. Vehicle Trip:** Person trips count all people traveling regardless of transportation mode (walking, biking, transit, driving), while vehicle trips only count cars. Bellingham switched to person trip calculations in 2018 to better reflect multimodal transportation. **Urban Village TIF Reduction:** A discount program that reduces transportation impact fees by up to 50% for development in designated urban villages where people are more likely to walk, bike, or use transit instead of driving. **Landmark Tree:** Under the interim ordinance, any tree 36 inches or greater in diameter at breast height (about 4.5 feet high), or smaller trees with significant cultural value that are nominated and approved. **Critical Root Zone:** The area around a tree where roots extend, calculated as one foot of radius for every inch of tree diameter. Development impacts in this zone can harm tree health. **Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) Arborist:** A certified arborist with specialized training in assessing tree safety risks, required for landmark tree evaluations under the city's ordinance. **Reasonableness Standard:** The interim tree ordinance allows landmark tree removal if necessary for "reasonable use" of property, but requires demonstrating that "reasonable efforts" were made to preserve the tree - terms that staff are working to clarify. **Bellingham Plan:** The city's comprehensive plan adopted in December 2025, which guides land use, transportation, and development policies for the next 20 years. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jed Ballew | Newly elected Planning Commission Chair | | Rose Lathrop | Newly elected Planning Commission Vice Chair | | Mike Estes | Outgoing Planning Commission Chair | | Chris Behee | Long Range Division Manager, Planning Department | | Blake Lyon | Director of Planning and Community Development | | Chris Comeau | Senior Planner, Transpo Group (consultant) | | Dylan Casper | Staff, Public Works Depart…
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Government Operations City Council City Of Bellingham Ite Mrsc Planning Commission Transpo Group Wcog Whatcom Million Trees Blake Lyon Chris Behee Chris Comeau Dylan Casper Heather Aven Jed Ballew Mike Estes Rose Le Susan Hutton Tim Holman Affordable Housing Bellingham Plan City Council Comprehensive Plan Development Costs Landmark Tree Ordinance Missing Middle Housing Multimodal Transportation Planning Commission Public Works Tif Methodology Transportation Impact Fees Tree Preservation Urban Forestry Urban Village Development Urban Villages