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Real Briefings

City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

BEL-PRB-2025-04-09 April 09, 2025 Parks & Recreation Committee City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board addressed several significant policy and development matters in a comprehensive session that balanced immediate project decisions with long-term strategic planning. The meeting's most consequential action involved finalizing the location for a permanent art installation at Storybrook Park, with the board ultimately selecting Site B over Site A after extensive discussion about proximity to neighboring residences and the project's "magical forest" aesthetic goals. Lane presented the first annual report for the new 10-year Greenways Levy 5, revealing strong performance in the program's inaugural year with $9.3 million in revenue and strategic acquisitions totaling 127 new acres across four properties. The report demonstrated the city's commitment to honoring the voter-approved spending allocations, with 35% directed toward acquisition, 20% each for development and maintenance, 15% for the new climate resiliency category, and 10% for flexible use. The board also tackled comprehensive planning by reviewing and recommending approval of seven refined goals and policies for the Parks and Recreation chapter of the Bellingham Plan. These policies represent a significant consolidation from previous versions, reducing redundancy while strengthening focus on equity, climate resiliency, and partnership development. The framework establishes a new level-of-service standard requiring all residents to live within a half-mile safe route of a developed park and trail. Two public comments highlighted ongoing stewardship challenges and opportunities. Janet Higbee-Robinson raised concerns about dog disturbance to salmon fry at the Little Squalicum Creek restoration area near the new pier, requesting signage or additional fencing to protect the sensitive habitat. Brian Armstrong, a park steward at Squalicum Creek Park, praised the volunteer program's effectiveness while advocating for expanded capacity to accommodate growing community

**Storybrook Park Art Installation Location (Approved 6-0):** Board selected Site B for the permanent art installation, overriding the artist's preference for Site A due to concerns about proximity to residential properties. The decision prioritizes neighbor privacy and site accessibility while maintaining artistic integrity. **Greenways Levy 5 Annual Report (Received):** Board received comprehensive report showing successful first year with $9.3 million revenue, $7.9 million spent across all categories, maintaining healthy reserves for upcoming major trail projects including $4.5 million Sunset Pond Loop Trail construction. **PROS Plan Goals and Policies (Recommended for approval with amendments):** Board …

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The Storybrook Park art location debate revealed tensions between artistic vision and practical neighborhood considerations. Jonathan, the project coordinator, advocated for Site A's "intimate room-like setting" that would create a more hidden, magical discovery experience. However, board members who visited both locations expressed strong concerns about Site A's proximity to residential backyards, with one member noting visitors would be "literally looking into his backyard" from just 20 feet away. The compromise at Site B maintains the forested setting while providing more appropriate separation from neighboring properties. The Greenways annual report sparked discussion about acquisition strategy evolution. Lane explained that major long-standing goals like the DNR parcels and Samish Crest acquisitions are now complete, shifting focus toward "missing links and key connections" that may cost millions but provide crucial infrastructure gaps. Board members praised staff's adherence to the voter-app…
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**Janet Higbee-Robinson (Stream Team volunteer):** Requested signage or extended fencing at Little Squalicum Creek restoration area to prevent dogs from disturbing salmon fry habitat. Observed salmon fry from May 2024 through December 2024 but noted recent absence, raising concerns about habitat protection effectiveness. **Brian Armstrong (Park steward):** Advocated for expanded volunteer program capacity, reporting work parties consistently fill to capacity with waiting lists. Praised staff coordinators Ryan and Freya but requested additional trucks and higher volunteer limits to accommodate community demand. Suggested better signage at work sites to increase program awareness. **Steve Walker (Board Chair):** Supported deferring art location decision to staff and artists initially, but ultimately voted with majority for Site B. Strong…
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**Steve Walker, on Greenways spending adherence:** "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate and respect how you and your team have honored those percentages... we spent a lot of time, hours and hours trying to come up with those percentages and frankly having some intense arguments about them." **Holly, on Site A proximity issues:** "There's no division between that guy's backyard garden, and and they are there. He just literally has, like some deer wire up. And I mean, you're lite…
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**April 24, 2025:** PROS plan goals and policies will be released for public comment, beginning the formal comprehensive plan amendment process. **May 2025:** PROS plan policies will be presented to Planning Commission for review as part of the Bellingham Plan update process. **Construction starts within 2 weeks:** Storybrook Park Phase 1 construction will begin, funded by park impact fees. **Pier ribbon cutting ceremony:** Scheduled for Saturday, April 26 a…

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The Storybrook Park art installation will be located at Site B rather than the artist's preferred Site A, prioritizing neighborhood compatibility over the original artistic vision for a more hidden placement. This decision establishes precedent for weighing community impact against artistic preferences in future public art siting decisions. The city now has a formal framework for acquiring the DIY skate park property under the pier through the modified interlocal agreement, moving the project from conceptual to potentially actionable status. The estimated $3 million construction cost represents a significant new recreational facility investment pending funding identification. Bellingham's comprehensive plan will include seven refined parks and recreation goals emphasizing climate resiliency and partnership development, represent…
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# Real Briefings — Full Meeting Narrative ## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board convened on April 9, 2025, at their regular monthly meeting, with chair Steve Walker participating remotely from Vashon Island. The Board addressed several significant items including finalizing the location for new public art at Storybrook Park, reviewing the Greenways program's annual financial report, and evaluating draft goals and policies for the parks chapter of the city's comprehensive plan. The meeting also featured public comment highlighting concerns about dog impacts on salmon habitat and praise for the expanding volunteer stewardship program. Board members present included Holly, Scott, Asa Deane, Taylor Webb, and others, with staff support from Lane and Peter from Parks and Recreation, along with Jonathan from planning and Taylor Webb from Community Development. The meeting reflected the ongoing tension between expanding public access to natural areas while protecting sensitive ecological resources. ## Storybrook Park Art Installation Location Decision The meeting began with a decision that had been deferred from the previous month regarding the placement of a new art installation at Storybrook Park. Jonathan had previously presented two potential locations — Site A and Site B — and encouraged board members to visit the park to evaluate them in person. The discussion revealed significant concerns about Site A's proximity to residential properties. As Holly noted, "Site A was a lot closer to 2 homes than I had originally realized. It felt like I was kind of almost in their backyard, especially since one of them just had like a net for fencing around their backyard overlooking their garden." Asa Deane echoed this sentiment: "Site A feels like you're right in someone's backyard, and B feels a little more like it's in the park, and kind of a part of that space as opposed to being in someone's backyard." Jonathan acknowledged the trade-offs, explaining that Location A offered a more intimate, room-like setting where visitor…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met on April 9, 2025, with Chair Steve Walker presiding remotely from Vashon Island. The meeting focused on art installation site selection, budget presentations, comprehensive planning policy review, and waterfront development agreements. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Greenways Advisory Committee:** A citizen committee that meets monthly to provide recommendations on spending the voter-approved Greenways levy funds. They evaluate property purchases and make funding recommendations across four spending categories: acquisition, development, maintenance, and climate resiliency. **Park Impact Fees:** Development fees paid by new residential construction to fund expanded park facilities serving new residents. These fees must be spent within 10 years and cannot be used for maintenance or operations. **Interlocal Agreement (ILA):** A legal agreement between government entities (in this case, the City of Bellingham and Port of Bellingham) that outlines how they will work together on shared projects and responsibilities. **Little Squalicum Pier:** A new boardwalk and pier structure that recently opened to the public, extending into Bellingham Bay from Boulevard Park near the former pulp mill site. **Due Diligence:** The process of thoroughly investigating a property before purchase, including environmental assessments, surveys, and title research to identify any potential issues or costs. **Climate Resiliency Spending:** A new category in the Greenways levy focused on projects that help parks adapt to climate change and reduce emissions, including habitat restoration and alternative transportation infrastructure. **PIF Credit:** Park Impact Fee credits given to developers in lieu of cash payments, typically when they build or dedicate park facilities as part of their development project. **Development Ready Certificate:** Documentation from the Department of Ecology confirming that a contaminated site has been cleaned up sufficiently for its intended use. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Steve Walker | Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair | | Holly | Board Member | | Scott | Board Member | | Asa Deane | Board …
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Parks & Recreation Budget & Finance Land Use & Planning Government Operations Greenways Advisory Committee Northwest Skate Collective Parks Recreation Department Planning Commission Port Of Bellingham Amy Legal Asa Deane Brian Armstrong Holly Board Janet Higbee Robinson Janet Higbee Robinson Jed Holmes Jonathan Staff Lane Staff Nicole Director Peter Staff Scott Board Steve Walker Taylor Webb Place Little Squalicum Creek Place Squalicum Creek Pier Place Storybrook Park Place Waypoint Park Budget Finance Climate Resiliency Community Engagement Comprehensive Planning Greenways Levy Habitat Restoration Land Acquisition Park Impact Fees Parks Recreation Public Art Safety Education Skate Park Trails Development Urban Forestry Volunteer Stewardship Waterfront Development